Silent Echoes
by TatteredCrimson
Summary: Ten years after Naraku's death, Rin still travels with her lord. With her words cut to a minimum by a curse one night and with Sesshoumaru bent on abandoning her for reasons unknown, how is Rin, and ultimately Sesshoumaru, to cope with her suffering?
1. Prologue: Speak

I know…I know…but you guys don't understand! With so much time on my hands, how can I NOT come up with more story ideas and write them down right away!? Well, anyway, this actually isn't my story idea in the least bit at all. 

**Disclaimer**: _I fully credit the idea of this story to MizuCrystal, a wonderful writer, and the trend-setter of this plot. I DO NOT OWN THE MAIN THEME OF THIS STORY, IT IS FULLY CREDITED TO MIZUCRYSTAL! I am only doing the writing and filling in holes and what not. Thank you, MizuCrystal, who is making this contest a very fun one to do, I might say. Yes, this is a contest. Help me win with your reviews! :D_

And now, without further ado, I give you the first chapter. Have fun reading! There's a light tint of humour with every chapter. 

– 

**Silent Echoes **

~ 

Prologue: _Speak_

~ 

     It had been so long ago now, so very long ago. With the death of that blasted youkai, Naraku, which Sesshoumaru contributed greatly, the land had been left in utter chaos. Youkai still spilled about from different corners of the earth to claim their right to the stature that Sesshoumaru held. They all fell horribly. Sesshoumaru didn't once question the fact that he and he alone was the owner of these lands, the Western Lands. 

     The main thing that had bedazzled him, though, was the disappearance of that half-breed brother of his, as well as that miko reincarnation wench that constantly hung at his side. Not really that he could dribble his mind with such worries in this situation before him. This youkai that chose to fight him…he actually had some strength to him. 

     'Ugh! Why must Rin get herself into such situations?' the girl standing off a good deal to the side thought to herself. She watched as the youkai (which had first attacked her) fought with Sesshoumaru almost fruitlessly. He proved to be a bit of a challenge to her lord, which compelled her to take on her next action. 

     The youkai had a smirk upon his crooked lips as he continued his fight with Sesshoumaru. Not only did he plan to defeat the lord, but he would take that female ward that traveled with him as well. He had heard that the lord had slightly become weaker as the years had passed because of the female fowl that followed him, and that was why he was challenging him right now. 

     As he was about to strike at the inu youkai, a soft sound came to his ears. His neck slightly tilted in that direction for a slight second, being caught with the natural beauty of the sound. Before his mind could become engulfed with the melodious ruse, he shook his head and then went for the youkai lord again. The melody caught him again, and he couldn't pull himself out of the bliss that he was lulled into because of the sound. The kodachis in his hands fell to the ground as he blindly stepped in the direction. 

     Sesshoumaru had paused as well. He turned to the direction of the tender voice of a lightly falling feather. Although it didn't take over his mind (for he was far too used to this sound by now), he still watched silently, a smirk upon his lips as he watched the human girl in front of him hypnotically attract enough attention to her that he was able to make such a daring move as to attack the blinded fool. She was indeed a wise one. 

     Rin smirked in satisfaction as well, watching as her lord leapt behind the infatuated youkai and then attacked him mortally. 'What a pity…' she thought sadly, 'he was actually comely…' A shrill screech then came from her lips as his blood caked around her new silk yukata. "Aii!" 

     "Well done as always, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken roared as he came from behind Rin's legs (a rather quaint hiding place) and bowed to his lord. 

     Sesshoumaru simply looked at the frog youkai scornfully before looking to Rin. "Rin," he started. 

     "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," the girl started. 

     "In the ten years that you have traveled and learned with this Sesshoumaru," the inu youkai started, "it is blatantly obvious that it is unwise to go against this Sesshoumaru's decrees." He was angry at her for making the daring move that she'd just performed just seconds ago. 

     'And yet you do nothing to punish me, Sesshoumaru-sama,' she thought, rolling her eyes mentally. 'You're all talk and no bark…' At the thought, her eyes widened from the pun and she gave a short laugh, her voice sounding of delicate bells. She stopped instantly as the youkai stared at her dangerously. "…Gomen nasai, Sesshoumaru-sama…" she said softly, hiding her smile. 

     "Hnh…" he grunted. Of course, he could threaten her endlessly, but it was another thing to actually fulfill his threat. The inu youkai couldn't lay a single angered finger on her delicate frame (not that he laid a finger on her at all). Her guileless attitude toward him now showed him that he was no longer revered as he was to her when she was a small child. Care free as she was, it often led her into troubles that he had to pull the brat out of. 

     For the past two years, though…she seemed to have grandly matured from a child-like carelessness to more of a carelessness of the world's daily, blatant problems. It even seemed that she forced herself to remain naïve so that she wouldn't be riddled with problems set before her. Her innocence of a once pure world was starting to drip away. She took nothing that she saw daily for granted and cherished it as if the next day she was to die. 

     Her round, immature, wild, and cheerful eyes had ripened to refined, thin eyes that held a vast amount of knowledge. Those lips that once held shrill sounds dribbled with random song and words developed into thin, flute-like sounds, wispy and light. She was now as an angelic nymph of the deep green forest, lighting it with her radiance everyday. 

     Yes, pitifully, the lord had enough time on his hand to realize these changes that she had gone through, though he would never _repeat_ it to a single soul. Of course…there were more…_obvious_ physical changes that she had gone through that he more than tried to ignore. Her…developments were probably the reason why the youkai traversed their path today. 

     Who would have thought that the small, annoying girl that followed him endlessly at one time would develop into a dirt-riddled, blood-caked teenager? _Hm…_ "Rin…go clean yourself. We will rest here tonight." 

     "What?" she asked, breaking out of her day dreaming and being pulled into reality. She had been…taking a look at her lord herself, lost in her thoughts. Simply put…he was the most handsome thing she had ever laid her eyes upon. She was simply glad to have him as her own (in a matter of words). 

     "This Sesshoumaru does not repeat himself…" Sesshoumaru stated with a glare set at the girl. 

     "Eh?" she looked at him with question set about her eyes. She then looked down at herself and gave another screech. "Aii! My…my new yukata!" she screamed in shame and displeasure with herself. 

     "This is why Sesshoumaru-sama tells you not to follow him in battle as you do, Rin no baka!" Jaken said, pointing to her clothes. 

     She glared angrily at him. She turned and left to find a hot spring of sorts so that she could clean herself. She mumbled to herself as she walked. "'This is why Sesshoumaru-sama tells you not to follow him in battle' nyah." She crossed her arms childishly. Okay, so maybe she did feel guilty for always following her lord in battle. It usually resulted in her needing to get a new yukata. But it was actually different in this situation! This time the battle had taken place without her taking a single step! 

     "That baka…" she said, thinking of Sesshoumaru. "He thinks that he can still order me around as he does and I listen to his every word." She set a glare and then smiled to herself. "Of course Rin would!" She smiled in delight after she'd found a nice onsen to stay in for a while. [onsen = hot spring] 

     She lifted the yukata from her body in disgust, washing the drying blood from the beautiful yukata. She always made sure to buy a beautiful one with the money her lord provided her with. This one was a sage shade, a beautiful design of rare gold phoenixes crowding around red wisteria flowers with green stems climbing around the arms and sash. She sighed thankfully as she was able to scratch the yukata lightly with a brush of sorts, extracting syrup from a nearby plant to clean the stains. 

     She stood up, cracking her back, as she hung the sash and yukata on a low hanging branch. She pulled off her underwear and lightly stepped inside of the water. As she scrubbed at her skin, a light tuneless melody came from her lips. She was especially good at making melody with the lips of hers. Her voice was like a Syren of those Greek Mythologies that Jaken was compelled to teach her of when she asked him a few years ago. She knew how attractive it was. She began to scrub her body with the same syrup that she used for the stains, the melodies becoming louder. 

  
     'I finally found it!' he thought with a smirk on his lips. He could hear the melody of the girl from afar. He'd been searching for this sound for two years now, hearing of how this girl that traveled with Sesshoumaru had an unmistakable quality with her lips. It was said that she could have no rival, and that one would _know_ that they were listening to her from afar. He wasn't exactly after _her_, though. He vengefully sought the lord that she traveled with. 

     "Hm…" he grunted. "…She might also be of…need to me." He stood straight, following her voice. He had heard that the lord was at his pinnacle of weakness because of this girl. He didn't know why, though. She was probably foul mannered. As for her looks…he heard that she was actually quite attractive. She had the beauty of a rare maiden, though only a mid-teenager. "I'll have to see for myself…" he said. 

     Aside from that, he mainly came to use her as bait for her lord. After his act was to be done, he would take her for his own and teach her to be obedient. Just the thought of Sesshoumaru sent him shaking with anger and odium. Ten years ago, that youkai had come into his village and killed everyone in it. He came from his travels, hoping to be welcomed and congratulated that for being next in line to be a mage, but he arrived to a burned village instead. 

     His heart racked with pangs of distress as he saw the sight. But he would have his revenge tonight. He would painfully kill the inu youkai. Finally reaching a bush where he had good sight of the girl, he crept low. She was indeed beautiful, and her melodies were just as endearing as her face. The scent that flowed to his nose was more than enough for him to just take her as his own. He stepped from the bushes as she went under the water. 

  
     Rin closed her eyes for a few seconds as she lathered the syrup into her hair slowly, washing out the dried blood. She then took a taste of the syrup and sighed in pure delight. She dipped under the heated water, rinsing the syrup from her hair fully. When she resurfaced, she blinked as the syrup went into her eyes. 

     Was it her, or was there a figure standing by the edge of the onsen? She squinted. Kami-sama! There _was_ someone there! She calmed down as she saw that it was a 'human boy' smiling at her. She had taught herself a light amount of defense mechanisms. "Go away, hentai!" she screamed softly at him, shooing her arm in his direction and covering herself with her other arm. 

     "Forgive me…" he started. "I was just returning to my village when the most beautiful sound reached my ears. I was compelled to come in this direction and I'm glad to have found such a reward as you." 

     She lightly blushed at his words. When he took a step toward her, her eyes widened. "Well, go back to your village," she said quickly, making sure to keep herself covered. "Rin's lord will not be pleased in the least bit if he sees you here." 

     "Your lord, Mistress Rin?" he asked questionably, catching onto her name quickly. He inwardly smirked as she fell for his outward appearance as a young boy. 

     "Ee, Sesshoumaru-sama…" she said, looking at him with a cocked eyebrow. He'd just taken a step closer. "I warn you now, I know how to defend myself, boy, so you just do yourself a favour and leave now before you are hurt." She'd stopped talking in third person. [Ee = yes] 

     "Really now…?" he asked. He walked the edge of the onsen toward her quickly. "Mistress Rin…would you allow me to join you?" He pointed to the onsen invitingly. 

     She splashed at the water quickly, jumping out with such celerity that he hardly noticed. She put her wet yukata to her front side, bending over some. Okay, maybe this situation was becoming a little antsy now…"I…I would prefer that you not…" she said, her voice shaking. 

     His form had changed in front of her. He was rather scary looking. She then realized that this transformation only meant one thing: he was a youkai. Now this was where the situation became dangerous. She suddenly allowed a squeal to erupt from her lips as he swiftly came to her. Her back hit the tree and she nearly stumbled, leaving her cornered. He gripped his hand on a clump of her hair tightly, making her wince. 

     Okay, maybe this situation was more than dangerous… 

     "Cry out to your master…" he said deeply, but softly. He smiled at the fear that emanated from her. It aroused a liking toward her. "Beautiful…" he muttered. He closed space between them, his nose finding its way to her jaw line and lightly touching it every so often with his lips. He felt her shiver under his touch. She was too afraid to do anything clearly. "Do it…" 

     "Se—Sessh—" She felt disgust as her lips were instantly covered with his. Not only that, but being that there was mere cloth that she was holding between the two of them, she was very vulnerable to him. Trying to pull away, she clenched her eyes tightly, tears wanting to come from them. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she said weakly as he pulled away from her, her voice being lost and panic running through it. 

     He breathed a sigh as he pulled away from her, fully infatuated with her softness and pureness. Her voice…it tasted so very good. He licked his lips. "Mistress Rin…I want you as my mate…" And he truthfully wanted her, now, not only for her beauty, but for her pureness. 

     "Sesshou—no…" she managed to mutter softly. 

     His eyebrows turned inward from anguish of her rejection. It quickly turned into anger. "You are full of defiance, wench!" he said angrily. He pressed his lips to hers again, touching at the yukata that she used for her protection. He gave it a light tug. 

     "No! Sesshoumaru-sama!" she screamed loudly as she pulled her lips away from him. 

     "Wench!" He grabbed her by her neck and slammed her against the tree, taking in the sweet smell of her neck once more with his traveling nose. 

     'Kami-sama!' Rin thought. 'I'm going to be ravaged!' The thought brought more tears to her eyes. She could feel pain and distress emanating from him, though. Her hand suddenly found way to his face, and she scratched him. As he pulled away from her to scream in pain, she did the first thing she could think of; she ran. 

     She could hear him coming behind her quickly, emitting a scream from her lips to her lord. Her body slammed against the ground as he caught up to her quickly and tackled her. He wrapped his hand around her neck, making her kick at him and scream. It was the last she could do. Where was Sesshoumaru-sama?! 

     He became angered with her, wrapping both hands around her neck. "So you 'prefer not to', wench?" he asked, a grin on his lips. An angered growl came from his lips. "I'll make sure of that," he muttered angrily. She didn't realize as he started chanting something at her. 

     Rin's screams grew quiet as something came from her mouth, a sphere of golden light. It changed to a black colour, then returned to her mouth. She passed out seconds later, the feeling inside of her overwhelming her. 

     He smiled mischievously. In the heat of everything, he'd forgotten all about the anger he had toward Sesshoumaru and had become fully infatuated with the girl instead. But now she'd just angered him. He pulled down her yukata some, ready to have his way with her. His smile widened as he gazed upon her…and then nothing happened. 

     His head bounced, then rolled on the ground and he fell to his side. Sesshoumaru stood behind him, an emotionless face upon him. He looked down at his bloody claw and then at Rin's faint body before him. Thankfully, nothing…private…was showing. 

     Jaken _tsk_ed as he walked from behind his lord and stared at Rin. He walked up to the girl and poked her with the ninjitou. She wouldn't wake. So he continued to poke her. "Rin…Rin…Rin…" he repeated with every poke. 

     If not seconds later, the girl's eyes clenched before opening. She gave a moan as she placed her hand on her forehead. She remembered her situation seconds later, and then sat up quickly, the yukata still clinging to her front. Her yukata had blood on it again at close inspection (which required her to lift it from herslf)…and she'd worked so hard to get the stains off of it! 

     There was a grunt to her side and she looked up, belatedly realizing that Sesshoumaru and Jaken were right there. She quickly covered her front again, a blush coming to her face. She was about to thank her lord for saving her (being that he had blood on his hand and the dead body was right in front of her), but he cut her off instead with another grunt as he looked away. 

     "Rin…" he started. "Go back to the onsen and bathe yourself again," he ordered. 

     She was about to comply to his words with her usual response when he gave her an order. "I prefer not to!" she said rather happily, her voice scratchy and deeper than normal. 

     Silence ensued. 

     "A—_Areh_!!" Jaken screamed in displeasure, his eyes wide and nearly foaming at the mouth. 

     Her hand was against her mouth and her eyes were widened in shock and horror. 'What did I just say?!' she thought. 

     Sesshoumaru had a deep glare set in her direction. There were times when she had defied him slyly, even to the point where he didn't notice until some time later, at which point he no longer cared. But this…she had never so blatantly defied him to the point where she spoke back at him. It angered him. 

– 

Yes…that's how this chappie ends. Do you likey? Please leave a review to tell me if you like it. Also, GO READ MIZUCRYSTAL'S FANFICTION, **BODYGUARDS**!! IT'S THE BEST!! Please read my other fictions, and please review @_@_@_@   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 1: Silence

**A/N**: Hi, guys ~_~. I'm glad that you liked the first chapter ^-^. I'm happy with your reviews. Keep em' comin'! And put out word >:Dv! Anyway, here's the second chapter, without further ado. ^-^ 

**Disclaimer**: _Nee~~…this story idea isn't mine, it's MizuCrystal's. Dare I say that I own it, I fear what sort of thrashings I would receive from her XD. Go read her stuff! She's an awsome writer ^-^. _

– 

**Silent Echoes **

~ 

    "I prefer not to!" she said rather happily, her voice scratchy and deeper than normal. 

     Silence ensued. 

     "A—Areh!!" Jaken screamed in displeasure, his eyes wide and nearly foaming at the mouth. 

     Her hand was against her mouth and her eyes were widened in shock and horror. 'What did I just say?!' she thought. 

     Sesshoumaru had a deep glare set in her direction. There were times when she had defied him slyly, even to the point where he didn't notice until some time later, at which point he no longer cared. But this…she had never so blatantly defied him to the point where she spoke back at him. It angered him. 

- ****

Anyone inexperienced…  
puts faith in every word,  
but the shrewd one  
_considers_ his steps.  
_(Proverbs 14: 15)_

- 

**Chapter 1: _Silence_ **

~ 

     "You…you dare speak back to Sesshoumaru-sama, baka Rin?!" Jaken asked as he calmed, still staring wide-eyed at the girl. Then again…she looked rather shocked from her blunt statement as well. She remained silent. "You _see_, Sesshoumaru-sama!" he said as he turned to his lord. "I told you that you would need to rid her from yourself as soon as she hit puberty! Her insolence deserves proper punishment!" 

     'What?! Punishment?!' She was about to protest, but turned to look at her lord. She paused and remained quiet as she stared at his angered glare. 'What do I do?' she thought. 'I didn't even _mean_ to _say_ that!' The wind lightly tousling her wet hair and cold body alerted her, and she gave a light shiver. She looked down at herself, once again realizing that she had nothing on. 

     It hit her suddenly, and she paled. She turned to the side, where the decapitated body laid, blood still pouring from the nape of the neck. A sickened feeling welled within her. Anything could have happened while she lay unconscious before. Her eyes suddenly stung her and her hand raised to her cheek in near horror. 'What if…what if he ravaged me before Sesshoumaru-sama came?' she thought. The thought sent her cradling at her yukata tightly, tears falling from her glossed eyes. 

     "And now you cry to make yourself seem more innocent?!" Jaken asked angrily. 

     "I prefer not to!" she shrieked with passion, her voice sounding of scratching metal. Her eyes widened again, the tears halting. She had meant to say no…Why couldn't she say no? She put her hand at the nape of her neck where her voice box was. 

     The two youkai stared at her again. Sesshoumaru, though, was slightly…confused. She was repeating herself? She really didn't want to bathe in the onsen that much?_ Maa…_

     'Why am I doing this?!' she thought. She didn't understand! Her eyes sullied in deep sadness. She didn't want to object to Sesshoumaru's words. She never intended to…so why was this happening? 'Sesshoumaru-sama…' she thought. She tried to voice his name. "I prefer no—" 

     Realization set in, making her eyes widen in horror once again. The youkai! This was _his_ fault, wasn't it?! It had to be! It could be nothing else! She opened her mouth, concentrating on saying something very slowly. Jolts of pain settled in her head from the strain, making her lean over and whimper in pain, a short gasp coming from her mouth. 

     "Rin," Sesshoumaru started firmly. "Enough games," he ordered. Something seemed strange about her, especially the way she had just voiced pain. He grew tired of her defiance, though. He made sure that when they were back at the castle, he would give her the right punishment. Except for the fact that he didn't know what _sort_ of punishment she would receive… 

     "Rin?" Jaken asked, taking a step forward to the girl. The two youkai were slightly taken aback when she looked back up at them, their eyes focused on the thin line of blood that dribbled down her chin from her mouth. "Rin!" he screamed shortly. He took a few steps toward her as her eyes spun upward, as if she were to faint. 

     Rin caught herself from the wave of dizziness that struck her. A sound secreted from her lips, a moan of pain. She whimpered again when Jaken laid his hand on her shoulder. 

     "Rin, are you more hurt than you appear?" Jaken then asked in concern as he saw her eyebrows turn inward from what seemed to be pain. 

     Sesshoumaru was becoming put off by Rin's actions. Her blood did alert him, though. "Rin," he began again. She and Jaken turned to look at him, a look of pure pain on the girl's face. "Speak to this Sesshoumaru with respect before pain is brought upon you." It was an order that he expected to be followed. Another idle threat, though. 

     She paused at his tone of voice, knowing that he was fully angered. He was probably even serious about bringing her pain. She dared not object. 'I _can't_!' she thought in frustrastraiton. She voiced her thought. "I prefer not to!" she said in frustration, her eyebrows drawling forward as if she was angry. 

     Things just got worse. Sesshoumaru took a step forward, his hand glowing dangerously and his eyebrows drawn inward. Rin crawled back a little. Jaken quickly scuttled away from her. 'No, it's not what you think, Sesshoumaru-sama!' she thought desperately. If only she could voice her thoughts! But she couldn't… 

     Him taking another step closer made her eyes wet again. He was going to hurt her… 'Sesshoumaru is really going to hurt me…' she thought, her eyebrows curling in fright. She opened her mouth and fought with herself to say the words she wanted to. Instead, she faultered, blood caking her lips again. It was as if…anytime she forced herself to say the words other than what she was speaking right now, something held her back…She leaned forward in pain again, letting out a moan. 

     The youkai…he must have put some sort of curse on her! That's what it _had_ to be! 'That can be the only explanation!' she thought. She put her hand at her voice box again. Her eyes widened as a sound emitted from her throat, guttural. That light…that she saw before she became unconcious…what was it? 

     She had to test this curse out, just one more time. But how? She couldn't just say 'I prefer not to…' without reason. Something needed to provoke her to make the statement. She had to make Sesshoumaru and Jaken realize that she had no further vocabulary than 'I prefer not to…' How, though? 

     She blushed madly as a thought came to her. She looked up at Sesshoumaru innocently, less than shocked when she saw him just standing there. 

     'What is wrong with that whelp?' Sesshoumaru thought irately. She had never defied him before! Something had to be wrong. He would not accept any other explanation. He stared at her strangely from her next actions. 

     Rin then looked at Sesshoumaru innocently. She stood up rather shakily and took a step toward him. But she didn't know what to do. 'Kami-sama! What to do? What to do?!' 

     "Rin, are you ill at mind?" Jaken asked her as her raised an eye. 

     Rin turned to him and glared at him angrily. "I prefer not to!" she answered, her voice a few octaves lower. It wasn't what she wanted to tell him, but at least it answered the question that burned through her mind. 

     "Stop saying that, you insolent brat!" he screamed angrily at her. 

     "I prefer not to!" she screamed back at him. 'Ugh…that was _not_ what I wanted to say…' 

     She was annoying him, now. "Baka Rin!" Jaken said in frustration. "The world should be rid of you!" 

     "I…prefer…not to…" she said angrily. 

     Sesshoumaru stared at the two angrily. How dare they quarrel in front of him. He _hated_ it when they bickered in his presence. He demanded respect from the both of them, so how dare they grace his presence with yelling? Ending the bickering quickly, he threw a rock at Jaken's head. 

     "Gnh!" Jaken grabbed his head as he fell to the ground. 

     Rin stared at him, then at Sesshoumaru. 'Sesshoumaru-sama…' she thought, 'how is Rin going to tell you that the youkai cast a spell on Rin?' 

     Even worse, the youkai was dead, and there would be no way possible for her to restore her speech. 

     Everything went quiet as Rin burst into tears and backed off (so that they weren't able to see her backside) before she ran in the direction of the onsen. 

     "It didn't do it!" Jaken said quickly so as to stay out of trouble. 

     Yes…something strange trinspired before the two had arrived, but neither of them knew what. One thing was for sure, neither of them liked Rin's new 'personality'… 

     Sesshoumaru couldn't be angered with Rin until he found out what was going on. Repeating those words at times didn't make any sense, as if she had no control over what she was saying. Or…as if she couldn't say anything else… 

– 

**A/N**: A rather short chapter, I know, but I just wanted to get that settled. It's REALLY short, though >_>. It answers most of your answers, anyway. Some other questions still haven't been answered by the chapter, but you'll find out soon. Thank you for the revieeeews, once again. Please give me more :D. Spread word! And please read my other stories! Review responses: __

MizuCrystal: Yep, you were the first :D. Thanks ~_~. I hope I get a good amount of reviews too ~_~. *sigh* I try… 

anhimals: Thank you ^-^. Yah, Sess and Rin really seem to hit it off, eh? ~_~ Spread word, dude~~! 

yamitamashii: yami-chan…ha—have you recently put me on your favourites list? @_@!!! My god, that made my day, really it did XDXD! I'm so happy that you put me on your favourites list! Wah, I could just die! *melts* Spread word! 

Shijitsu no Yasha: Hmm…your name means…Demon (or however you see the meaning of Yasha. Sometimes I think of it as forest spirit :D) of Truth? That's so pretty ~_~. Thanks! Of course I'll update! Why wouldn't I?? >:D 

Oneiropolos: Nee~~thanks SO much for reviewing my story! That was so nice of you ^-^. Of course that wasn't the end. I realized, after your review, that I wrote that it was the end in my author's note (-)_(-), so I fixed it XD. Yah, Sess/Rin is the best pairing in the whole world >:Dv! 

bearmoon: And you've read more! Hehe~ ~_~. You reviewed cuz Tsume-chan mentioned you?? *goes off to talk to Tsume-chan* Oh Tsuuume~~ >:D. Her story's so good, isn't it @_@. Ugh, I love it! ^-^. And yah, you found out what the orb of light was that came from Rin's mouth and returned. More details of it will come later, actually ^-~. The other two questions…hmm…I'll think about it >:D. 

Chisuto: Thanks! Don't stop, mwahaha~. No, I'm joking. I'm just glad that I have your support :D. 

Naoko2: Yeah, that's what it was called before, but I changed things around a bit just to give it a better appeal, ya know ~_~, and also because some plans for the story came to me? Well, without the ideas of Rin's voice, the first chapter probably wouldn't have been posted yet x_x, so her voice thing was like a saviour XD. Yah…well it was uh, part of the rules that the onsen thing be part of the story, so yah, just followin' the orders. Well…the story's probably gonna have a…surprise at the end, whether good or bad is what I don't know yet ~_~. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! 

Welp…that's it. *depressed sigh* I wish I had more reviews XD. I love reading people's reviews, even when they're not for my own story o_O. Anyway…please go read my other stories, as I mentioned before. Oh yah, that and I'm advertising for some authors, six authors per chapter, but only three links!! 

**No More Words by Tsume Yamagata **— Go read that story if you have the chance! So many people enjoy it, and if you're a Sess/Rin fan, you'll love it just as much! It's very cute, and it's got the romance thing going on! (http:// www .fanfiction.net / read.php ? storyid = 1598217) 

**The Past's Vengeance by Oneiropolos **— It's so funny, and not OOC at all! The kind of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha bonding that you'd probably get if they were in the predicament that they're in, which just the right dose of Rin's cuteness. (http:// www .fanfiction.net / read.php ? storyid = 1294872) 

**Captive Soul by Rasberries**— This is a must read. As in seriously. If you're looking for a good Sess/Rin romance, here it is! It's a very popular story about our lovely Sesshoumaru as a broken slave, finding his solace through Rin. Read it! (http:// www .fanfiction.net / read.php ? storyid = 1308711) 

Go read the stories by **Aurora-chan**, **Naoko2**, and **Aamelie** as well! It is demanded of you that you read all of these stories >:D More suggestions with links to come (of Aurora-chan, Naoko2, and Aamalie)! Ja matta, minna!   
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 2: Apples of Gold

A/N: Blar. I'm finally here to update :D. This chapter's longer, thankfully. But by just a few pages :D I'm glad I got 12 reviews for the last chapter :D. I'm so HAPPY *u* Welpies, let's get to the chapter :D. By the way, thank you Galandria V.Q. for telling me that my scripture was wrong. I changed it. That's so embarrassing =_=…anyway, this chapter was inspired by **Loreena McKennitt**'s album "Book of Secrets", mainly by the song The Highway Man (for no reason what so ever, trust me =_=;;). She's a wonderful Irish singer :D. Listen to her album one day; I was quiet hesitant, but I love her now XD. 

**Disclaimer**:_ *sighs* I suppose that I must be poetic about it.   
The idea didn't come to me and I don't own…jack >_>.  
You thought I'd curse?! For shame!   
That would defile my very own name >:O!_

– 

**Silent Echoes **

~ 

     Everything went quiet as Rin burst into tears and backed off (so that they weren't able to see her backside) before she ran in the direction of the onsen. 

     "It didn't do it!" Jaken said quickly so as to stay out of trouble. 

     Yes…something strange transpired before the two had arrived, but neither of them knew what. One thing was for sure, neither of them liked Rin's new 'personality'… 

     Sesshoumaru couldn't be angered with Rin until he found out what was going on. Repeating those words at times didn't make any sense, as if she had no control over what she was saying. Or…as if she couldn't say anything else… 

- 

**…the tongue of the wise one  
is a _healing_.  
(_Proverbs 12: 18_) **

- 

**Chapter 2: _Apples of Gold_**

~ 

     Rin's tears had long ceased as she once again sat at the edge of the onsen. This time, she made sure that as she sped toward this wet paradise, she'd bring Ah'Un with her. She gave a breathless sigh as she shut her eyes softly. 'Never in my _life_,' she started to think, 'would I think that something such as this would happen to me…' She sloshed her hand through the water once more, twinge of sadness filling her. 

     The two headed, mysterious monster, Ah'Un, chewed at the luscious leaves of the low branches, glancing toward their ward every so often. With a soft moan, the monster waved its heads quickly to straighten the fur atop the necks. 

     Rin glanced at Ah'Un for a while and then turned back to the steaming water after glancing at her hanging yukata. There was a stain of blood in it that she hadn't been able to move, which angered her. With a frustrated glare, she leaned backward and stared up at the black night sky. 

     'Why do strange things always have to happen to _me_?' she pondered. 'I mean, why not _Jaken_? He's the one who's always acting like a jerk! I don't think I deserve this…' She paused as Ah'Un let out grunts of disapproval, staring behind her. Her skin quickly changed from the darkened peach to a pallor color as a small change in the wind blew by her. She swiftly turned in the direction that Ah'Un stared in, but let out a sigh of relief as she saw that it was merely Sesshoumaru. 

     "Rin," he started. There was quite a pause, which was rather different. Sesshoumaru was one who was never short for words. 

     She looked at him and noticed with a cocked eyebrow that he tore his gaze from her. She wondered why, but then remembered with a light squeal. She quickly ducked under the water until her head was only to be seen. Maybe it was just the heat from the onsen, but her cheeks gave a soft tingle and became heated. 

     At the sound of the splashing water, Sesshoumaru turned back to the human. He had to have at least an ounce of respect for her, knowing that she treasured her privacy as much as he did his. "Rin, we will be leaving soon. Come from there." His statement was dribbled with that sultry smoothness that never ceased to make Rin want him to continue speaking. 

     Rin raised an eyebrow. 'Where are we to go?' she wanted to ask him. They usually traveled without a direct destination. "I prefer—" she started. She paused quickly and looked down morosely. Instead of answering him with her usual 'Hai!' she, instead let out a sound of obedience, her lips shut. 

     It wasn't against Rin's nature to do exactly as told, so when she began to rise from the water, Sesshoumaru once again turned from her and walked away, avoiding confrontation with her. Thankfully, she crept toward Ah'Un and touched her yukata to check if it was damp or not. She pulled on her underwear, slip, and slippers before ruffling Ah'Un's fur. 

     Rin put her hair in a bun before grabbing the yukata and the reigns of the monster, walking from the onsen to the site of the camp. Covering herself with her yukata even though she had an adequate amount of cloth to keep her from exposing herself, she walked quietly toward Jaken. 

     "What is that you want, baka?" Jaken asked as he looked from the fire to her. 

     Wordlessly, Rin held the yukata in front of him, raising her eyebrows and shaking the yukata for emphasis. 'Just dry it,' she thought irritably. 

     "Fine," he muttered as if he knew her thoughts exactly. He took the staff from his hands and fire came from it and nearly touched Rin's yukata before she pulled it away quickly, turning it to it's other side. 

     Rin threw him a smile in order to give her thanks. She turned to Sesshoumaru's direction, relieved that he was leaning against a tree with his head turned upward, eyes closed. She slipped her yukata on, not tearing her gaze away from Sesshoumaru. She at first stared at his chest as it softly rose and descended underneath his armor. The sight caused her to inch her eyes upward to where his haori was opened at the base of his neck and further down. Her eyes quickly flew up again. 

     Rin gave a short sigh before she sat by the fire, playing with a thin branch before throwing it into the red tongue of beauty. A slight movement caused her to return her gaze to Sesshoumaru once more. His head had turned from one direction to another, making her stare at him with wide eyes. With the fire hardly upon his face and the moon giving him little radiance, he seemed different. The light gave him an air of being among the undead, his skin hardly peachy. 

     The teenager's eyes glanced over his facial features with fascination. He was perfect in every fashion. Never had she seen some one with such perfect eyes as he. She paused. Eyes? 

     Sesshoumaru was staring straight at her, his hair almost messily strewing about his face. If anything, the unruly look made him look almost…handsome. She stared at him for a while as well, drawn into his placid eyes. After mere seconds, his eyebrows thinned and his skin under his eyes creased before he looked away with a hot air about him, giving a snuff of mere disapproval. She gave a blush as she looked away as well. 

     "Rin," Jaken started, "tell Jaken, what happened at the onsen with that youkai?" It wasn't exactly that he cared for the situation, he was just curious. 

     "I prefer not to," Rin said. And for once, she actually meant her words. She didn't feel like going through that again. 

     "You give such disobedient answers, whelp," he muttered angrily. She sighed in satisfaction. 

     Well if Rin couldn't say anything normal, at least she would hum one of her tuneless lullabies. It usually put her at ease when she was able to calm herself and lift the weight of her problems, letting them drift away with her voice. After clearing her throat, Rin opened her mouth to sing. 

     To her horror, a squalling sound came out instead, like that of a swan at the peak of its life. Her eyes widened and her heart thumped loudly from her chest as she placed her hand on her neck, over her voice box. She gave another clearing of her throat, ignoring Jaken's wide eyes and Ah'Un's instant objection to her singing by their snort. She tried once more and was mildly surprised that the same results came from her mouth. 

     She ignored the stares and turned toward Sesshoumaru, appalled by the fact that his ears had twitched and, if by any means possible, turned downward. He was not pleased by her sounds. A feeling of despair came over as tears threatened to form in her perceptive eyes. 

     So that youkai _did_ spoil her in a sense. He took away her most endearing vanity. She couldn't live to bare the pain of not being able to do the one thing she enjoyed most. 

-

     Sesshoumaru didn't stop his trek through the forest since that night. Not even to let the teenager rest, he continued to walk as if he was the only one doing so. Three days later and still had the same problem. He occasionally acted as if he was the only one that he was concerned for, but something deep within him bothered him about Rin. He didn't exactly know what, which was more surprising to him than anything, but something was there. 

     Maybe the fact that Rin's tender voice, which he had actually grown accustomed to strangely enough, was something that no longer put him as ease. It lacked the endearing sound it once had. For once, he became more restless and irritable toward Jaken and even Rin. 

     Thinking about how the teenager sounded when she was young was something horrid, but when she had grown and her voice had matured, he didn't seem to mind her singing. The fact that her voice attracted danger, though, never kept him at ease. Now she sounded like a croaking frog when she let a single note come from her mouth. 

     And that in turn explained Rin's actions as of late. For the past two days, she didn't utter a syllable, and she most certainly had an air of depression that wrapped about her like a closing in kimono. Jaken had tried to bother her in every way so that she could at least pull away from her despondency, but even he could feel her vibrations of pain like an earthquake. The days seemed to draw longer than they actually were as the tacit group traveled onward. 

     "Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken started, "Where have we been heading as of late?" 

     Sesshoumaru didn't stop walking, nor did an answer come from his thin lips. A simple sound came from them: "Hnh…" he answered. 

     Jaken cocked an eye ridge. "I…see…" he muttered. They continued their trek. 

     Rin looked around her, her hands gliding over leaves and low branches. She still seemed as a faerie in the wind, gliding through her forested home. A soundless sigh came from her lips as she licked them quickly. Her eyebrows rising in gloom, she picked at a blooming flower and held its silky smoothness before pealing petal after petal and letting the wind dance with them wherever it chose. 

     Rin recognized this place minutely. As boggy as it became and even as the trees were beautifully covered with bright green moss, she recognized it for one reason or another. They kept traveling deeper in the forest, but she remembered it from some time ago. 

     When Sesshoumaru stopped walking and turned around unexpectedly, Jaken walked into his leg with an umph. The youkai hardly stole a glance downward before he looked at Rin, who had her eyebrows arisen in curiosity. He softly flicked his hair from his shoulder as he took a step toward a giant oak tree. "Speak, Rin," he ordered her quickly. 

     Rin had no way to disobey him, so she did as told. "I prefer not to…" she muttered softly. As soon as the words left her lips, her eyebrows curved upward in pain. She didn't want to hear such words coming from her mouth or even such a voice, so why did Sesshoumaru want her to say them. 

     She paused as deep, raspy laughter came to her ears, making them twitch upwards. She took a few steps toward Sesshoumaru in fear, ready to hide in behind him. Instead, though, a root elevated from the ground, dirt riddled, and stopped her from going any further. 'Sesshoumaru-sama,' she thought desperately. Sesshoumaru simply stared at her. 

     "Ah, has the human whelp that you once traveled with matured with disobedience toward you now, Sesshoumaru-sama?" asked a voice. 

     Rin looked about curiously from the deep and shrewd sounding voice. 'Nani?' she thought. 'What is this?' Before another thought could come to her mind, a hoarse squeal came from her lips. Vines circled around her arms and legs almost tenderly, and a branch lifted her as it caught her behind her knees and back. Her eyes widened as she paled. She turned over to Sesshoumaru questionably as the vines brought her to the other side of the tree. 

     A familiar, barked face stared at her, cracks showing the features of the face. "Bokusenou," he muttered his name with a broken smile curling on his lips, his eyes squinting with the smile. "My, I have not seen you for over ten years, girl," he said. 

     Rin almost smiled as he let her down, his vines unwinding, but something held her back. She hadn't smiled for three days, but already she seemed to lighten her mood. Her smooth hands touched at the bark of his face with wordless affection and fascination. She remembered him. Years ago they had come here when Sesshoumaru concerned himself with Inuyasha's youkai form. 

     "Bokusenou," Sesshoumaru started as he walked to the other side of the tree as well. Rin looked at him, taking a quick step away to give him his own space. "Tell me, a youkai attacked the girl—" Rin threw him a silent glare when he didn't use her actual name "—nights ago—" 

     "How many nights?" the tree asked. 

     Rin looked on in minimal shock. First off, Sesshoumaru traveled this far out of his way because of her? He was troubling himself with _her_? Secondly, Sesshoumaru seemed unbothered when the tree had cut him off—possibly because he actually had respect for the him, but still…it was different. 

     "Four nights ago," Sesshoumaru answered. It was a rather irrelevant question, but being that it was Bokusenou, the wise tree had his reasons. 

     "Hnh…press on," Bokusenou ordered. 

     "His life, the youkai, has ceased to exist from then. Yet his scent remains on the girl. And changes have overcome her." 

     "I see…" the tree murmured. "The wind has carried to me messages of her happenings since those nights ago." 

     Rin looked up at the tree hopefully. Did that mean that he knew of what happened to her? Maybe he could tell Sesshoumaru! A sound came from her lips, making her instantly cover hers lips with her hand as she looked downward sheepishly. 

     "Unfortunately, it seems a mystery to even me…" he said. His smiling eyes dimmed as his glance was thrown upon the teenager. 

     'No…' she thought sadly. 'Why…?' 

     "I know that she was cursed by dangerous lips. As for this…curse being lifted, I doubt that it will ever happen. This may be the reason why you yet smell the scent of this youkai on the girl." 

     Rin noted the foreign look in Sesshoumaru's eyes. She couldn't exactly place what it could have been, but there was a look of anger lingering within his eyes. She herself felt tears lingering on her skin, and with a quick swipe of her hands, they were gone. There was a swift motion of the vines and she next was staring at leaves with thick sap cupped within them. 

     "The winds have as well carried messages to me, telling me that your beautiful voice has been ravaged." The old tree's bark chipped as his face crunched into a smile. "That, at least, is something that I can lift from your chest." The vines move toward her lips. "Drink this cure." 

     A twitch came to Rin's lips as her lips puckered to take a simple taste of the sap. Her eyes widened at the sheer sweetness and warmth of the liquid. 

     Sesshoumaru stared, less than interested. This was a waste of time. "Bokusenou," he started, his voice an octave lower, "if you are unable to do a thing about this situation, we will be on our way." 

     "Such impatience," Bokusenou hissed. "Leave me, then." 

     "Hnh." Sesshoumaru glared at the tree before turning around and walking away. "Such impudence," he muttered. 

     "You, girl, come closer," Bokusenou ordered, his voice tacit and smooth. 

     Rin looked from Sesshoumaru's retreating figure back to the tree, wiping the excess sap from her lips with her tongue. She took a step toward the tree, giving her head a single, soft nod. She cocked her head stiffly as she stared at him. Her eyebrow next cocked upward as one of the vines softly lifted her chin up, as if the tree was deeply inspecting her. 

     "Hm," he muttered. His vines slithered about her face oddly in a delicate fashion. "Hm…" A crackle of his lips indicated his smile. "You are quite a dazzling beauty, girl," he muttered. "You have the odd look of a rare flower, my girl." 

     Rin could no longer frown at his words; her face tore into a smile, a ravine of white teeth shining toward him. It wasn't the first time that she heard a compliment about her beauty, but for once, she truly appreciated it more than anything at the moment. Her hand softly touched the vine on her face. 

     "You seem very fragile," he added. "Tell this old tree…" His vines circled around her back and she unsteadily took a step toward him until she was pressed against his hard bark. "Tell me, have you anything for Sesshoumaru?" he asked. His lips crackled into yet another smile…or maybe it was a grin. "Do tell…" 

     Rin looked up at him and blushed before opening her mouth. "I prefer not to…" she said with a smile. And she meant that as well. 

     "Ah," the tree muttered, his vines pushing her away softly. His leaves shook with his soft laughter, and a branched drooped low around her, a flower attached. "Take it for your keeping for now, girl." 

     Rin smiled as she took the flower and plucked it from his branches softly. It's soft and luscious red and purple petals stared at her, orange dots sprinkled randomly upon it from the pollen on its long stamen. It was awfully beautiful, like a rare jewel. 

     "Bring yourself many gifts, girl," he said. "This flower is as rare as your face is in the sunlight." 

     She blushed at his words, then nearly jumped out of her skin as her voice was called from quite a distance. She took a few steps toward Sesshoumaru without turning back to the tree. "May your beauty last longer than any transient flower," the tree called to her, a laughter titillating to ears shaking about through the forest as she retreated. 

     Rin walked right beside Sesshoumaru, a smile brimming on her cheeks. Sesshoumaru didn't acknowledge her presence, but when she sped in front of him and stood there like a tree, he stopped walking. 

     "Areh! Rin no baka!" Jaken said with his eyes widened. "Move out of the way! How dare you stand in front of Sesshoumaru-sama like so!" His hand curled into a fist. 

     "Jaken," Sesshoumaru started. "Shut up." 

     Jaken instantly shut his mouth. 

     Sesshoumaru stared at Rin. What was she up to with that smile on her lips and the flower at the temple of her face, which was, actually, very…attractive? His eyebrow hardly moved upward as she beamed with a smile. She was still child-like in so many ways. "Step aside, Rin," Sesshoumaru ordered. 

     "I prefer not to," Rin said smugly, rocking weight on her legs almost shyly. 

     Sesshoumaru's eyebrow actually _did_ turn upward this time. Was this open defiance? 

     Instead, the most shocking thing transpired. Rin stepped forward… 

     and she… 

     _hugged_ him. 

     That wasn't what shocked him, not at all. Rin had her moments where she couldn't hold her arms away from his form. The most wonderful sound of jollity escaped her opulent, red lips. And she thoughtlessly pressed her lips to his for the most ephemeral of moments. 

     Before anything else could be done, she quickly pulled away from him with a deep blush and turned around, skipping—**_skipping!_**—away. 

     The whole air about her radiated with happiness, and some other emotion that Sesshoumaru was too surprised—_he_ surprised—to even notice. 

     A gurgling sound arose from Jaken's throat as he stood stiffly still, wide eyed. His mouth foamed as a squalling sound came from his lips. 

     Sesshoumaru, though, didn't know what exactly to feel… 

– 

**A/N**: *sighs happily* I had fun writing that part, way too much fun. Why is Rin so happy now, you may wonder? Ah, we'll see in the next chapter. :D. I just think that it feels good when a person calls you beautiful despite your ailments. I'm still…waiting for that day… *cries* Review responses: 

_ Chisuto: Thank you! :D. I try really hard XD _

anhimals: Yah, last chapter was pretty short, but I tried making up for it with this chapter, which was eight pages long :D Oh, I'm definitely getting somewhere with this ficcie, you'll see. Aw, don't say that about your writing, it just takes a little inspiration, and trust me, you'll love writing. I started writing BECAUSE of fanfiction :D. 

Galandria the Vampire Queen: Thanks for telling me :D. The second I received your review, I fixed the verse number. Hee hee ~_~. I like using Proverbs especially because it's just so beautiful :D. 

DarkDemonMaster: I'm glad you like it :D 

MizuCrystal: :D:D Being awake that early is just so fun [/sarcasm] =_= And you DID update Bodyguards! I was so happy XD. 

fireash: Hehe ~_~ Thank you. Though all the credit points to MizuCrystal :D. 

Oneiropolos: Yah, it's nice being a little taunting :D. Shorter chapters apparently make people stick to the story line, which is usually why I tend to make my chapters no more than about 12 or 13 pages :D Yah, and not only does Sesshoumaru notice that something is wrong, but it is sort of uneasy on his nerves. He just wuvs Win-chan sho much, doesn't he :3? 

bearmoon: Oh, Bokusenou explained what happened to her to Sesshoumaru for her partially :D. Yes, she practically did lose her vocabulary, and all she can say now is, "I prefer not to." Hehe, I'll take my time within the means :D. 

Tsume Yamagata: Yaay! You reviewed XD. Now I'm just happy :D. Sess/Rin's are the BESTEST! Hehe, why wouldn't I put your story on my advertisement? It's awesome! And it gives way for more people to notice your awesome story! 

WraithWoLf368: Kay :D, thanks for the compliment XD. 

yamitamashii: Oh, the reason why I just noticed is cuz I hadn't checked for who's favourite's list I was on XD. So when I saw your name there, I got so happy :D. Nee *blush*, I don't take well to compliments, they make me sheepish :\. I'll never stop writing if my life depends on it :D. 

Cacat-angel: Ooh, thanks for reviewing this as well :D. *points to MizuCrystal* The story line belongs to her XD! Getting Rin out of it will be a secret :D 

Welpies, that's it for the reviews! Thank you so much :D I love you all. Please don't forget to read my other fanfiction, I'd greatly appreciate it :D. Anyway, time for advertisements :D. 

**Splintered Coral by Aamelie**—What can I say? It's a good Sango/Miroku fic, and she's awesome with writing that pairing. I just wonder how it's going to end o_O… linky : http:// www . fanfiction.net / read . php ? storyid = 1600436 

**Because by Aurora-chan**—Hehe ~_~, this was one of the stories that really got me into Sess/Rin pairings :D. Things go awry in the relationship, only to return for the better :D. Linky: . fanfiction.net / read . php ? storyid = 1304824. But also read Fading Light, a bitter sweet Miroku/Sango pairing fic. Any Mir/San lover would like it…:D 

**My Human Pet by Naoko2**—Unfortunately, the story that I liked from her most was taken from fanfiction.net because someone complained that some of the content was questionable to the rating of the story, which it was not. But this story is just as good. It's so cute, and it's a potential Sess/Rin pairing :D. Linky-winky: . fanfiction.net / read . php ? storyid = 1557825 

Yeppers. That's it for the linkies. Also, read stories by **Cacat-angel (Distant Thunder)**, **Corisu-Li (Manipulated)**, and **DarkflamesSolitude (AWKWARD MOMENTS)** :D. Hehe ~_~. I love advertising :D.   
Kay, bai, have a good day ^-~. And don't forget to REVIEW XDXD!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter 3: Undo All Done

**A/N**: Wee! Chappiture four here to save the day!! Guess what! *shrugs* Dunno XD. I'm in a selectively good mood, so we'll see how this story goes down. Heh. Don't forget, the genre of this story is angst, and that's for a reason. You'll see why in a short while, even though the mood of the fic was rather happy last chapter. Whoo! No school today, so I'm gonna write this and have some evil fun >:D. *vixen laugh* Yohoho~~ 

**Disclaimer**: _THIS IS ALL MINE, MIZUCRYSTAL SUCKS!! >:D. No, I'm joking hehe ~_~. Yay, no more disclaimers! *boogie down* Arigatou Gozaimasu, Mizu-sama!_

– 

  


**Silent Echoes **

  
~ 

  
     The whole air about her radiated with happiness, and some other emotion that Sesshoumaru was too surprised—_he_ surprised—to even notice. 

  
     A gurgling sound arose from Jaken's throat as he stood stiffly still, wide eyed. His mouth foamed as a squalling sound came from his lips. 

  
     Sesshoumaru, though, didn't know what exactly to feel… 

  
- 

  
**Even in laughter**

The heart may be in pain…

_(Proverbs 14:13)_

  
- 

  


**Chapter 3: _Undo All Done _**

  
     ~ 

  
     When the inu youkai had finally gathered his right mind (one feeling that he doubtlessly hadn't ever felt), his eyebrows furrowed. "Jaken," he started. "Rin, go get her." 

  
     Jaken then closed his beaky lips and looked at his lord with a cocked eye ridge. "Ma—matte!" Jaken gurgled as he ran after the walking lord. [Wait!] 

  
     "It was an order, Jaken," Sesshoumaru grunted as he stopped to turn around and stare at the ghastly youkai. "I expect that you follow _every _one, after all of these years…" 

  
     "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken muttered, turning around to do as told. All the while, he muttered things about how annoying human being were, especially those who'd hit puberty and were female. After a while of sniffing out her scent, he finally found her near a small bed of water. "Rin," he called her. 

  
     Rin looked over at him in a dazed shock, her eyes puffed and red. A smile came over her lips as he told her to come over. Rin wordlessly got up from her perch on a bed of flowers before following Jaken closely. 'I…I hope this works…' she thought. 

  
     When the two arrived behind Sesshoumaru, the inu youkai turned around and faced her with a set thin glare. "Rin," he started. "Explain." 

  
     He didn't feel the brunt of his words until Rin stared at him wide eyed, the smile never leaving her lips. But he felt her happiness like the vibrations of an earthquake. It was rather strange…that she found so much happiness with his words. Nevertheless, the youkai couldn't deny that he still felt that one emotion that he couldn't quite place with Rin. It leaked around the happiness, seeping through quietly and wrapped around her body. But he couldn't figure it out. Her happiness was persistent. 

  
     Rin wordlessly shook her head, her eyes fighting strongly to keep her tears inside of her. Her body crying silently, she simply opened her mouth, brought her delicate fingers to it, and then she softly pulled her hands away and toward the sky. 

  
     "Hnh…" Sesshoumaru muttered. He understood what she meant. Jaken did as well, for his eyebrows were brought down and almost gave him a look of being sullen. "If you so please to do it this way," Sesshoumaru muttered, "then we will be on our way…" He turned around and walked on. 

  
     Rin shrank backwards as she walked behind Jaken and Ah'Un. 'He doesn't understand me…' she thought. 'I hope he will later…' Instead of remaining quiet, her flute-like voice sang with the wind and gave the old forest calmness. She noted how quickly Ah'Un began to relax, as if its muscles had long been a cause for discomfort. Jaken himself dragged Ninjitou behind him as his hands loosened from it. 

  
     Sesshoumaru himself remained the same. The sound of Rin's wordless voice only left him with a feel of…relief. Then again, the youkai could feel the hurt in her voice. So long as Rin traveled with him, this would be disallowed. 

  


-

  
     Days passed into weeks and so the weather did as well. The nights grew colder and the days shorter. Still, Rin never spoke a word; she only hummed or sang. That air of elation only grew wider around her with that other emotion that neither Sesshoumaru nor Jaken could place. Even when Rin slept, her air was thrown about with happiness with that small twinge of something else. She never let her guard down. 

  
     When either Sesshoumaru or Jaken had something to ask of her (which they hardly did, given the circumstances), she would simply answer with the nodding or shaking of her head, or she would answer with wide use of her hands and body. 

  
     Jaken grew restless as to where there traveling took them, and he would many times ask his lord where they were going. When the lord gave no answer, they would wordlessly follow. 

  
     Rin walked past Jaken and up to her lord's left side, looking up at him wordlessly. "What do you want?" the inu youkai asked her, his voice seeping slightly with impatience. 

  
     Rin stared up at him, the smile no longer on her lips and her mouth open as if she begged to say something. 'I want to tell you…' she thought. 'I want to say…' 

  
     Her lips quivered with her strain of words, and suddenly she clasped tightly at her head in pain. Biting her lower lips to quell her pain, she couldn't stop the drops of blood that seeped from her mouth. Her hand then flew to her throat as she looked away from him, her eyes squinting from the pain. 

  
     "If it pains you like this, Rin, then do not speak," Sesshoumaru said with his eyebrows drawn in. Like she, he had a way of holding back his real emotions. He felt concern, for one thing. Never before had he felt her radiating with the happiness that she was at these times. It was constant, and it was rather annoying. Something about it…made him feel ill at ease. 

  
     A moaning sound came from Rin's lips before she faltered in her steps and nearly fell. Stopping her straining, Rin stood upright and put in the back of her mind what she tried to tell him. Instead, she nodded her head courteously, as if giving her thanks. She started making certain motions, those of which he couldn't perceive. "Rin," he started, turning away from her and walking forward. Her hands flew downward as if in frustration before she followed him. 

  
     Jaken followed wordlessly, his eyebrow flying upwards. 'Nee, this is so strange…' the short youkai thought. 'She wants to say something. That blasted youkai should pay for what he did to Sesshoumaru's property!' 

  
     "Stop your wild motions," the inu youkai finished. 

  
     Almost regrettably so, Rin let out an exasperated sound before she averted her gaze from the youkai. The happiness that radiated from her seemed to seep with that other emotion. The youkai was slowly starting to figure out what it was—more like he had an inkling of what it was—but his mind quickly acquitted that idea. They were soon to arrive to his destination. It wouldn't be long now. 

  
    

  
     Hours later, when the sun bade the sky farewell and night slowly crept, in the travelers finally reached their destination. 

  
     "Sesshoumaru-sama…" Jaken started. "What…what is the significance of this place?" The short youkai stared at the clearing. There was a human village nearby. 

  
     Rin suddenly turned to Sesshoumaru with her eyebrows lowered in something akin to heartache. Sesshoumaru looked down at her as her hand softly grabbed onto his armless sleeve. She was pleadingly shaking her head. 'Please no,' she thought. 'Don't…' 

  
     "This is the human village of that half brother of mine—" 

  
     "Inuyasha?!" the toad asked in shock. "Maa, no wonder I thought the surroundings and scent was familiar and disgusting…" 

  
     "That old crone still lives. The old miko whose sister bound Inuyasha to Goshinboku," Sesshoumaru said. "Rin, go," he ordered Rin as he looked in the opposite direction, pulling his arm away from her tightly clenched hands. 

  
     Rin shook her head. "I prefer not to…" she muttered weakly. "I prefer_ not _to…" 

  
     Sesshoumaru turned toward her. "I will not be disobeyed." His voice was one of pure sureness. He knew exactly what he was doing. 

  
     'Please don't leave me by myself…' she thought. She started walking toward the village, but she kept her firm grasp on his haori. 

  
     "Areh!" Jaken yelled as his eyes widened and he gripped onto Ninjitou tightly. "Rin! What are you doing?!" He ran after them. 

  
     Sesshoumaru's face chortled into one of pure anger. "Rin, let go," he ordered. Rin turned back to him and instantly threw her eyebrows upwards, and then downwards. What sort of communication was she trying to make? He was too absorbed with his anger that he didn't realize that they were at the entrance of the village already. A hiss of anger came from his lips as he realized few seconds too late. 

  
     The old woman was wobbling toward them at the moment. There were men behind her, arrows and spears in hand. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she muttered, her voice more strained and croaky than it had been years ago. "What brings you here? If you wish to cause violence, then leave now. It will not be tolerated." 

  
     Sesshoumaru's glare deepened as he looked at the woman. Rin, instead, let go of his haori and walked toward the old woman, pressing her fingers against the woman's mouth. 

  
     "What sort of trickery is this?" Kaede asked as she weakly grabbed onto the girl's wrist and turned toward Sesshoumaru. "Why have you a human?" 

  
     Sesshoumaru quietly returned her question with a glare. He didn't need to debase himself by answering the pestering question. Nor needed he give the old crone the time of day. 

  
     Rin pulled him closer to her out of slight fear of the men behind the old woman. Some of them were staring at her as if staring at a thick slab of meat. She turned her direction toward Kaede, and then pulled a clump of her hair to the side, separating it from the rest of her hair. Pointing to herself with her other hand, she gave her head a few nods. 

  
     "You…you're that whelp?" Kaede asked in surprise. She never expected the girl to travel with Sesshoumaru for this long. Even so, she never expected the girl to become as beautiful as she was now. 

  
     Rin nodded softly, feeling abashed for one reason or another. 

  
     Kaede looked from her to Sesshoumaru, noting the exasperated look on his features. She looked at the girl again…before looking at the lord. "You still travel with this youkai?" she asked as she pointed toward Sesshoumaru. Rin gave a silent yes. "And you know of his dangers?" she asked. 

  
     Rin's eyebrows rose upward before a grin came to her lips. Letting go of her lord's haori, she stood on the tip of her toes, pointing to Sesshoumaru's head. Standing straight again, she made a circle around her own head with the tip of her thumbs and pointer fingers. A smile of absolute innocence grew on her features before she dropped her hand. 

  
     Both Sesshoumaru and Kaede stared at Rin, who wore a smile. Was she…insinuating that he was too _innocent _to be dangerous? "Child, you underestimate your lord," Kaede mumbled. "But you have humoured my old, lifeless spirit. Come, you and Sesshoumaru-sama may stay until you seem fit to leave." 

  
     Rin instantly smiled, pulling on Sesshoumaru's sleeve. At the tugging sensation, she turned back and saw that the youkai wasn't moving. She tugged at his sleeve once more. 

  
     "Youba," Sesshoumaru started, "the girl will stay with you. I will not." [equivalent to hag] 

  
     At his words, Rin's eyes widened. Her head started shaking madly. 'No, no!' she thought. 'Please don't abandon me here…' She tugged on his sleeve once more. 

  
     "Rin, let go," Sesshoumaru ordered. 

  
     "Se—Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken started, his eyes wide. "You are leaving Rin here?" 

  
     "Rin…" Sesshoumaru started dangerously. "I will not repeat myself." 

  
     Rin made spastic movements at him, seemingly trying to communicate with him. He blinded his eyes to the movements while Kaede turned toward Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you know that she tries to speak with you, no?" she asked. 

  
     Sesshoumaru glared at the old woman before throwing a hiss at Rin. The girl's instant reaction was to pull away from him, which she did. She took a step back and stared at him incredulously. She stood still, her hands clasping at her laps as she looked at him desperately. She gave a soft shake of her head. 

  
     "You will stay," Sesshoumaru stated. "I have no need for a you. You have had your fill of fun." The words came out of the lord's lips too cruelly, biting Rin harshly at her ears and heart. 

  
     Rin once again shook her head in denial. 

  
     The inu youkai could slowly feel her happiness dripping away, only to be recovered by that feeling that she hid deep inside of her as of late. 

  
     "I prefer not to…" she said, her voice sodden with sorrow. She shook her head again to emphasize her reasoning. Taking a step toward him again, she was more than shocked, as was everyone else, when the youkai turned to her with a feral, red flash in his eyes before he brandished his elongated claws. 

  
     The inu youkai felt the fear dripping from her, but he didn't pull back. His knuckles cracked dangerously as he twisted his fingers this way and that. "Useless human!" he said with out regret. His fingers wrapped around her tender, small neck, and the men surrounding the old crone instantly became fearful, albeit they brandished their weapons toward him. 

  
     Rin's eyes widened from shock and horror as his warm fingers tightened around her neck until his claws dug into her skin. 'Sesshoumaru-sama…' she thought. 'You can't…' Her fingers wrapped around his large hand in bitter attempt to make him let go. He was actually scaring her. He was…_hurting_ her. 

  
     Jaken watched with widened eyes, far too speechless to say anything. Sesshoumaru_ never _raised his hand against Rin in ill will. This was unlike the inu youkai. And yet, he couldn't help but feel something coming from his lord. He couldn't even place what he felt, but he knew that it was there, hanging taut in the air around the lord. "Se—Sesshoumaru-sama!" he finally muttered. 

  
     The youkai finally released his fingers from around her neck when she had more than enough. He listlessly dropped her to the ground and stared at her coldly. "I have no use for something as foul as you, human. Leave, and crawl on the dirt that you were meant since the beginning of you days." 

  
     Rin looked up at him with a heart wrenching look in her eyes; she looked at him, feeling betrayed. Instantaneously she stood up and took a few steps back from him, her back bending over in pain far greater than anything physical. Her hand clutched at her chest and her other hand reaching up to her hair. Her face oily looking with tears, she dropped the flower from her hair and instantly let out a sound of utter pain come from her lips. 

  
     The inu youkai did nothing more than turn around and briskly walking off. "Jaken," he called. 

  
     Jaken threw the girl a last, pitying look before he followed his lord. Rin let out another sound before turning away and running blindly through the village. 

  
     Kaede looked at the fallen plant before letting out a sigh and a click of her tongue. The petals were slowly fleeing with the wind. "Two young ones, how they ruin their bond," she muttered. "Go after the girl and bring her to my hut, Shobi," she ordered one of the men. 

  
     "Hai, Kaede oba-sama," he said before bowing and running after the girl. 

  
    

  
     When Rin felt that she could no longer run, she rested against a hut, her body wracking with the most silent tears, her mind soaring with pain. Her hands wrapped around her neck where the youkai's warm fingers had been. 'Why?' she thought. 'Kami-sama, why did…' 

  
     An overwhelming feeling of pain came to her, making her bend over in pain. Her hands grabbing at her chest, she breathed raucously before a feeling of light-headedness came to her. The last she remembered was her wracking cry of objection as she felt a cold hand touch her shoulder. 

  


-

  
     The barked face cracked as the smile on its lips slowly faded and grew into a frown. The winds whispered to him, sang to him with sadness. "What tragedy…" he said aloud. Familiar petals flew past him, wrapping around vines before they fell to the ground and withered into black ashes. 

  
     The forest darkened and the winds grew stronger. The boughs of Bokusenou drooped in sadness like the weeping branches of a willow tree. 

  
     "The girl was too fragile for this treatment. She will most certainly break. What a fool that youkai is…" the tree muttered angrily. His vines and leaves shook with anger as the forest itself seemed to darken. "What was done must be undone." 

  
– 

**A/N**: Blar…I finally finished this chapter. I really didn't think I'd get it done. But uh, aren't we all just mad at Sesshoumaru for being so mean?? Yah, we should be. But dun' worry :D. All will be well :D. This chapter took me over a two weeks to write…So I'm sorry for the suckiness…By the way…is it just me, or do Sess/Rin seem so ideal for tragic romances? *shrugs* Ah well. Anyway, we'll know Sesshoumaru's motivation in the next chappie, when ever that may be XD. Sheesh, that youkai has the strangest mood swings o_O;;. Review responses: 

  
_anhimals: Yah…she's happy again :D…*coughs* It's awful when she's said, I'll agree with you there :D Yah, well, I'm only going to advertise one fic, because it's hard trying to find three good fics every time I update. It's not all that easy =_= _

yamitamashii: Did I say I was going to stop writing?! *runs around in mad circles, trying to figure out when she said that* Nuu! My mistake!! Oi! I love Jaken! He's so cute in the manga whenever he hangs off of Sesshoumaru's pelt thingy. He looks like a lil' birdie! *poke Jaken* XD. Breaking the curse? We'll see *evil grin* 

Galandria the Vampire Queen: Hehe ~_~. Yah, Psalms is beautiful. But my favourite, ultimate favourite bible book is Song of Solomon. It's so beautiful @_@. *glomps* XD 

MizuCrystal: Ew…blood drawin', that be ickyful. I'd never claim the plot for myself. That'd be evil of me. I'm not that evil >:D…NO! NOT WEI PAN, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!! Don't lay a single finger on him >_>~ 

Chisuto: Yes, Rin has found her voice to sing once more. But she can't sing with words. She can only, you know, make melody and tunes. The only words that she can still say is "I prefer not to". Can Rin write? I was seriously trying to figure that one out…but, you'll have to wait and see. 

drake220: Hehe ~_~. There's no one named Bankotsu here. This is Bokusenou, the ancient tree spirit, if you remember him from the episode where Sesshoumaru asked him about Inuyasha's demonic…ness…No! Not at all! Steal the advertisements if you must! :D 

bearmoon: Yah, I know exactly what you mean. I try reading characters VERY carefully, which results in me watching the same episodes at least twice so that I can fully understand their motives. Kind of like Naraku…he's cool >:D *glomps Naraku* And thanks for telling me to take my time! *glomps you* 

Rasberries: Wow; that's exactly the sort of feel I wanted to give it, a faerie tale feel :D. Thanks for reviewin'!! 

darkstarpheonix: Thanks Steph! You're a doll :D 

Oneiropolos: Thanks :D! Sesshoumaru's reaction…hm…>:D 

Year of Resurrection Kitty: Heh :D. Thanks, though I don't know exactly what 'that' is :D……But anyway XD. 

Tsume Yamagata: Heh heh, crazy cool :D. I understand XD. 

Rin6: Hehe ~_~ Okay XD. Updated :D 

GhostDragon: Wee! You read this one too XD. *glomps* Thanks :D Yah, I was trying to go for there being ultimate beauty in the disgusting-ness of the situation =_=. 

  
Welpies, anyway, it seems that my other Rin/Sess story is doing better than this story, but that tis okay. Um…I really don't feel like doing advertisements XD. Maybe the next chapter. I'm sooo not in the mood to do it today. Just look in my faves and you'll find some good ficcies :D. Thanks for all the reviews, though. Gimme more >:D. And go read my other Rin/Sess fic if you already aren't. I order you...look into my eyes **@_@_@**

  
  



	5. Chapter 4: What was His

**A/N**: OMG, guys. It has been just about forever since I have updated anything at all! It is scary and I am so sorry. I've been bogged down with work. But no worries. I won't let anything happen to my stories :D. Anyway, onto the 5th chappie XD. 

– 

  
**

Silent Echoes

**

  
~ 

  
    The barked face cracked as the smile on its lips slowly faded and grew into a frown. The winds whispered to him, sang to him with sadness. "What tragedy…" he said aloud. Familiar petals flew past him, wrapping around vines before they fell to the ground and withered into black ashes. 

  
    The forest darkened and the winds grew stronger. The boughs of Bokusenou drooped in sadness like the weeping branches of a willow tree. 

  
    "The girl was too fragile for this treatment. She will most certainly break. What a fool that youkai is…" the tree muttered angrily. His vines and leaves shook with anger as the forest itself seemed to darken. "What was done must be undone." 

  
- 

  
**O Rose, thou art sick!**

The invisible worm

that flies in the night, 

in the howling storm,

has found out thy bed

of crimson joy:

And his dark secret love

does thy life destroy.

(_The Sick Rose by William Blake_) 

  
- 

  


**Chapter 4: What was His**

  
~ 

  
    The young male stared at the limp nymphet in his arms for mere seconds before a breathless sigh escaped from his crimson lips. He gently pulled her feather-like weight above his shoulders and walked toward the hut as he was told. 'She is rather fair…' he thought with a soft smile upon his lips. 

  
     Her pallor skin alarmed him, though, and she looked as if she had suffered many bitter nights in solitude. He finally reached the hut in the village and, not surprised to find the old woman's shadow behind the thin shoji door, he lightly rapped against it. "Kaede-baba-sama," he started softly. "I have the girl." 

  
     "Arigatou, Shobi-san. Leave, and let her come in herself…" Kaede said behind the shoji door, moving away from the hot fire as she poised herself to offer tea to the girl. 

  
     Shobi grimaced for a few seconds before he spoke up softly. "Kaede-baba-sama, she is unable to move on her own. The girl is unconscious." 

  
     "…She didn't struggle against you that you may have struck her?" Kaede asked. When she received a negative answer, she sighed in relief. "Bring her here," she muttered softly, standing up slowly in order to open the door for the young man. As he walked in, she pointed to the tatami mat, silently telling Shobi to place Rin there. 

  
     Shobi did so, gently placing Rin on the mat. He stood straight and crossed his arms over his chest. Cocking his head to one side as he eyed the girl, he started, "Do you think she is sickly?" 

  
     "Pah!" Kaede scoffed with the wave of her hand. She bent down slowly and painfully, accepting the aid that Shobi gave her. "Sickly?" she asked after she was settled. "She is a simple brat with tantrums because she cannot hold onto something that she wants for herself!" 

  
     "Something to hold on to for herself…?" he muttered under his breath. "Do you mean that youkai?" Shobi asked. He received a curt nod from Kaede, noting how the old woman's face crackled with a grimace. "That youkai was rather cruel. It is beyond me how she has lasted with him for, as you before mentioned, many years." 

  
     "Never mind Sesshoumaru-sama; he is an unpredictable youkai. Now—" Kaede stopped when the female beneath her gave a guttural moan. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the young girl for a few seconds. Her gnarled and wrinkled fingers found their way to Rin's sallow forehead. She mumbled a few words after seconds. "You were right, Shobi, she is ill." 

  
     Shobi bent down as well, leaning over Rin to inspect her. He noticed Rin's clenched eyebrows and hand. "What is wrong with her? Do you know?" he asked aloud. He did not receive an answer from Kaede, but resumed his scrutiny of Rin moments later. He watched curiously as Rin's hand lifted from her side and rested on her chest, clasping and unclasping seconds later as if her heart was tightening. He removed her moist, cold hand and placed his head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat. "Kaede-baba-sama…" he started, "her heart fails her." 

  
     "I know…" Kaede mutters. 

  
     "Do you?" Shobi asked. "How?" 

  
     "She is merely heartbroken. She will get over herself soon. And, if he decides to, when Sesshoumaru returns, she will be herself again. She will possibly forget him if he does not." 

  
     Shobi's heart leapt at Kaede's last words. He turned toward Rin with a hidden smile. "Good…" he muttered under his breath, sure that Kaede did not hear him. "I will make her mine…" His strong hand found its way to Rin's wintry fingers before clasping tightly onto them. When he felt her hand twitch and tighten around his, a smile trailed onto his lips. 

  
     'Sesshoumaru-sama…' Rin thought painfully, her heart tensing. 

  
    

-

  
     "Cho—Chotto matte, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken yelled as he ran after his lord, tripping on roots and rock. He let out an exasperated sigh when the lord did not even consider his words. "Sesshoumaru-sa—" He froze as the lord stopped and faced him with a darkened glare, a sound akin to a squeal escaping his lips. "Gomen nasai!" he said as he gave a submissive bow to the lord. The inu youkai obviously did not want to be pestered. "Why is it that you have left Rin in the human village?" he asked timidly, fearing the youkai's wrath. 

  
     Sesshoumaru stared at the imp for seconds before he spoke. "My motives will not be questioned. Do not speak another word of Rin,—" his voice slightly faltered as the name came from his lips. He paused for mere seconds before he resumed to his statement. "One more word of it and you will be expended." He turned swiftly and began to walk once more. 

  
     The forest life dimmed and quieted as the wind softly shuffled past him, howling far ahead. The leaves rustled and crunched as the lone taiyoukai pressed on, almost shaking with jeering laughter. The wind wafted against him once more, tousling his pearly hair with impending anger. 

  
     _Sesshoumaru…_

  
     Sesshoumaru's ear quirked upward as he heard his name whispered from within the wind. Ignoring the sound, and thinking it only the nonsense, he walked on. 

  
     _Sesshoumaru…_

  
     The lord stopped and stood still once more. The whisper tickled his ears this time, making them twitch as his eyes roved about suspiciously. The winds softly picked up around the two youkai, shuffling the leaves and muffling the third whisper of the youkai's name. His eyes squinted as he skillfully looked around without alarming his ward. 

  
     _Sesshoumaru…, please…_

  
     Sesshoumaru turned his head in another direction. "Sesshoumaru-sama…?" Jaken asked with the cock of his eyebrow, standing still and supporting his weight on ninjitou. 

  
     _I call you in haste, Sesshoumaru…! Come, I beg…_

  
     The youkai brandished Toukijin, letting the hand rest at his right side. "You cannot remain secretive…" he said. "This is foul-play. Show yourself," he ordered calmly. 

  
     "Sesshoumaru-sama…whom are you speaking with? No one else is here…" Jaken commented as he cocked an eye ridge. The taiyoukai looked over his shoulder with a look that told the green ghoul to hush. He shut his mouth and released a breathless sigh. "Ah—Areh! Sesshoumaru-sama! Tensusaiga!" He pointed at the sword at the youkai's sash with wide eyes. He stuttered for seconds before the youkai looked at his waist. 

  
     Sesshoumaru stared at the sword in mild awe: it was pulsing, the pale purple light shaking around it with the loud sounds of a heartbeat beating slowly, painfully. "Tensusaiga…" he muttered in amazement. '…is pulsing…' he thought. He sniffed the air quickly, wafting for a scent of the dead. 'Nothing is dead…' he thought with mere suspicion. 

  
     _Find me…, please. I hurt…_

  
     "Jaken," Sesshoumaru started after licking his wind-bitten lips. "Stay." With the simple order, and not even waiting for the imp's response, he sauntered off toward the call. It was not as if the taiyoukai cared for the 'hurt' being, but now his mind was full of curiosity. 

  
     _Please hurry…_

  
     The taiyoukai pushed past vines and bamboo, Toukijin dragging behind him in his reflexive hurried pace until the smell of blood and death came to his senses. He stopped at an area full of bamboo and stood still for seconds. He once again took off with a growl of exasperation before turning around and retracing his steps. Sheathing Toukijin at his side, the youkai sliced his hand through a thicket of bamboo before he found what he looked for. 

  
     His eyebrows rose quickly as his pupils fixed and contracted. Before he could stifle it, a short and soft gasp came from his lips. He stared at the bloody female figurine with shock—horror—as blood poured from her lips and her eyes stared at him foggily, dilated and settled to his entrance. "Rin…" he muttered softly without realizing he spoke her name. 

  
     "_You've come…_" the girl muttered. "_Finally…But I knew that you would always answer my call._" Her stale smile bore a ravine of thick and bloody teeth.

  
     The taiyoukai was quick in his actions: he bent downward in seconds as his clawed hand found its way to her sweat-matted hair tenderly. He smelled no other scent but hers; no one could have committed this action against her. A sound akin to a whimper gurgled from the bottom of his throat as she gave a guttural cough, crimson life force pouring from her pale blue lips. 

  
     "_I hurt…right here, Sesshoumaru, right here…_" she said slowly as her shaky hand touched her heaving chest. "_It is broken and bleeding…_" 

  
     "Rin…" he muttered softly, not believing this sight. He abandoned her hours ago! How was this at all possible? 

  
     "_I am dying, Sesshoumaru. Do you know?_" she asked. Her pale hand moved to the sword at his side. Her puffed eyes dripped with scarlet tears as she grabbed at the hilt of Tensusaiga. "_You have this for a reason, Sesshoumaru. You gave me life with this; why has your hand abandoned me?_" Her words were cut short with the bubbling forth of blood that came from her lips. Her eyes rolled toward the darkened sky as her head kicked backward. Her small hand tightly clasped at her chest as she asthmatically heaved in a breath of air, her lungs imploring to be cleared of the blood. 

  
     Sesshoumaru's eyes switched to and fro in near panic and helpless confusion as she shook in his arm before he clenched his yellow orbs for mere seconds. Her sudden stillness alarmed him, making him tear his eyes open. A soft, agonized sound escaped from his lips as he stared at her pale, dead features. Her skin grew cold and clammy on his hand, and her eyes drew to a torturous close. The taiyoukai could not bare the sight. 

  
     _Bokusenou is waiting, Sesshoumaru…_

  
     The wind blew past the taiyoukai and he gave a sudden look down. His eyebrows furrowed in fury as he stood straight. All that was left was a clump of brown earth and rotten flowers with water pasting the dirt. The anger within him bridled to the point of him letting out a growl of frustration as he stood straight. He turned around with a glare about his eyes before light covered him as he flew upward. 

  
    

-

  
     The wind blew past the ancient tree, galloping away words. The smirk upon the barked face crackled. "That was rather easy…" the tree muttered. He laughed softly, his leaves shaking about and loosening as they waved through the air. He waited patiently for the arrival of the youkai. When wind picked up and he heard a step from behind him, he started, "Ah, Sesshoumaru-sama. I see you have joined me as my messenger ordered you…" He waited as the taiyoukai walked in front of him, unaffected by the glare. 

  
     "What sort of trickery was this?" as the youkai as he held up his hand full of dirt. "You are intervening." 

  
     "No trickery, Sesshoumaru-sama, none at all. That was more of…a test," the tree corrected. "And, my, my, Sesshoumaru-sama, how you have failed!" 

  
     The youkai hardened his glare as he dropped his hand and the dirt in it. "You were the one who caused this, were you not?" he asked dangerously as his hand touched the hilt of Tensusaiga. 

  
     "You have found me out, Sesshoumaru, that you have," spoke the ancient tree in mock dissapointment. 

  
     "End your antics!" Sesshoumaru yelled in anger. "Explain yourself." If bothered enough, he would cut the tree down with his other sword. 

  
     "You have abandoned the girl?" Bokusenou asked. The youkai went quiet. "I shame myself to say this, Sesshoumaru-sama; however, you have truly committed an unwise act." 

  
     "Speak nothing of it,_ tree_," Sesshoumaru said scornfully. 

  
     "Ah, and yet you grieved when my figurine made of simpl earth died, did you not?" he asked. He continued when the youkai did not answer. "Ever more so would you grieve for the human girl that you left behind if she were to die." 

  
     The youkai stared at the tree quietly. What was he getting at? "Hnh." 

  
     "Why do you deceive yourself, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Bokusenou finally asked. "The naked truth stands before you, and yet you deceitfully blind yourself to it; something that I have seen you do at only one po—" 

  
     "This Sesshoumaru will not repeat himself," Sesshoumaru said obstinately. 

  
     "Her heart cries…" the tree stated. He noted the quick paused that the youkai gave. "It breaks right now. And the only one who will try to cure her heart is another male. She will fall into the abyss of illusion." 

  
     The youkai paused at the statement. "…So be it…" he muttered as he turned and walked away. 

  
     "…He is a weak youkai…" the tree muttered after the youkai was far enough. "His heart has too many broken strings." 

  
– 

  
**A/N**: It's short, I know, but I'll just leave it here for now. How'd you like? Did you like? EH?! EH?! You know you did. This chapter was just sexy XD. Myahh…don't have much to say, so here are the review responses :D: 

_anhimals: You'll find out in a chapter or two what he's doin' to Rin :D. Yesh, we should all be mad at him >:O!! Wee for tragic romances XDXD _

Tsume Yamagata: I know, I know!! You love this pair, sho I'm soooooorry XDXD 

Random Thoughts: Spankies XD 

Chisuto: Thanks :D! No, it was just Shobi. Remember when Kaede asked him to get Rin? 

Galandria the Vampire Queen: It will be explained soon, his actions. Sense knocked into him ish comin', trust me! 

MizuCrystal: THANK YOU SHOOO MUCH FOR THE ADVERTISEMENT!! I LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER AND EVER!! Er…I did that to Rin a-cuz…erm…it makes the plot work @3@? I agree, there is something in the water o_O;; 

drake220: Hehe, Midol? Cute XD. You know…the images that went through my mind when you said that Bokusenou should spank Sesshoumaru…disturbingly funny. 

Cookie6: Of course, we'll always love Sesshy-sama XDXD 

Lima Squamosa: Of course you'll have to wait to find out why Sess left Rin. You think I'd just tell ya' flat out? Of course not! Nee, the Corrs rox yer sox right outta the box? Hehe, inside joke XD 

Rin6: Er…Unless you don't want to read the rest of the story, yes, I would mind you killing me o_O;;; Ah…blackmail is just so fun >:D. 

GhostDragon: Of course Sess has reasons for his actions >:O!! 

Kathryn-Colby: Yes, I agree. It's very hard to stay mad at him, that baklava >_> You know…a person can sue another person for the smallest reasons these days… Hmm…and I need more manga… 

willow-wisp: Yay! I'm glad that you like my storeh XDXD 

marnika: Wee! I haven't heard from you in a while! I'm glad you reviewed!! 

TinckerBell: You were really crying?? You lie! LIE!! My stories don't bring tears!! XDXD 

yamitamashii: YOU WEREN'T CLOSE TO TEARS EITHER!! MY STORIES DON'T BRING TEARS!!! >_>_>_>_>_> 

Writing-Angel18: Of course I'll update! >:O!! 

bearmoon: Mya!! *glompglompglomp* Wee! Bokusenou is going to be the catalyst in the relationship XDXD. And note: catalysts can either SLOW DOWN the reaction or SPEED IT UP!! Or…Bokusenou will just be the busybody, if he isn't already. I'll keep it up for eeeever. 

Cyhiraeth: School ish fun. Work ish evil >_>;; No, Inuyasha will not make a cameo, nor will Kagome…or anyone else…I hope not, at least. You see the Ariel thing?? YAAAAY~~!!! That's the feel I wanted to give it, thought the losing her voice part wasn't my idea. *points to MizuCrystal* 

Hioga-chan: Who's Kharl? She's Canadian?? *feels misinformed* *glares at best friend* Wee! I'm glad you like! 

Tiff: I'm glad you like it, hehe XD 

D-Chan3: *does something! Does something!* SESSHOUMARU IS NOT NASTY!!!! >:O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *throws a rock* 

sakura-hiwatari: I will :D 

Lioness Kea: MYA!! MIRSAN ROX MY SOX RIGHT OUTTA THE BOX!!! >:O!!! I LURVIES THEM!!!!! 

Kawaii-Inu-Inutaisho: :D… 

Charmed18: Yesh…yesh he does =_=;; 

Wee!! Those are all of the review responses! Thanks you guys! Your reviews are awesomish!! XDXD Now, I know you await these: Story advertisements! Wee :D *goes to find some XDXD* 

**Manipulated by Corisu Li**: You better read this, because it is per'dang good! I loves it!! A fine line normally separates the lands of the living and the dead. When it is ruptured during a fight, a demonic spirit takes up residence in Miroku's body... but what happens when it tires of sharing? Is there human blood on his hands? Linky: www. Fanfiction . net / read . php ? storyid = 1642288 

**The Courting of Rin by willow-wisp**: Nyah! I love it! It's a great Sess/Rin, and with just the right twinge of jealousy put in XD! A youkai wants to court Rin. What does Sesshoumaru think about it? Not AU. Linky: www . fanfiction . net / read . php ? storyid = 1510388. 

**Fragile Heart by Angel64**: Oooommmmgggg~~ READ IT! It's shoo goot XDXD. I love Rin/Sess's, can't you tell?! In the future, Sesshoumaru is a wealthy business man. Having been through centuries without Rin, he finds Rin's reincarnation. However, Rin has no memories of her past. How did Rin die in the first place? What happened years ago? Linky: www . fanfiction . net / read . php ? storyid = 1224179. 

Kay, and that ish all. Please enjoy them. And read them…Or ELSE…Now…Also…Go read my Sess/Rin story, Clouds that Fall. If you don't…I'll flog you!!! >:O!! Unless you already do…in which case, FLOG PEOPLE WHO DON'T READ IT >:O!!!! *is super hyper*   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Chapter 5: An Apparition of the Past

**A/N**: You know, one part of this story that I enjoy so is searching for a fitting epigram to coincide with the fic. Eh…gomen, randomness abound XD. Okay, onto the next chapter. :D Enjoy XD 

– 

  


**Silent Echoes **

  
~ 

  
    "Her heart cries…" the tree stated. He noted the quick pause that the youkai gave. "It breaks right now. And the only one who will try to cure her heart is another male. She will fall into the abyss of illusion." 

  
     The youkai paused at the statement. "…So be it…" he muttered as he turned and walked away. 

  
     "…He is a weak youkai…" the tree muttered after the youkai was far enough. "His heart has too many broken strings." 

  
- 

  
_ Why so pale and wan, fond lover?  
Prithee, why so pale? _

  
Why so dull and mute, young sinner?  
Prithee, why so mute? 

  
If of herself she will not love  
Nothing can make her… 

  
(**excerpts from _Why so Pale and Wan_ by John Suckling**) 

  
- 

  


**Chapter 5: _An Apparition of the Past_**

  
~ 

  
     "This girl's cries have for nights made many ill at ease…" Shobi muttered softly as he stared at the shoji door, wincing as if feeling the distressful moans from the other side. "Kaede-baba-sama…when will she sweep old memories away with the tool of present and live normally?" 

  
     Kaede shook her head weakly as she thinned her eyes at the absent teenage girl. "She makes me grow weary, that she does. Only last week and four days was she weak and dying with fever. All has been well with her health henceforth. Now she cries nightly for the youkai who abandoned her. What a blind girl…" 

  
     Shobi sighed breathlessly as he looked downward. "Kaede-sama…" he started softly, "My hand aches to hold her small frame tightly; my nose irritates me that I may get a simple smell of her night perfumed hair; my heart slows because I want to grasp hers', which she gives to another." 

  
     "…Ba…ka…" Kaede muttered. "Can you not simply say that you lust after her? No; instead you tell _me_ words that only a woman you love should hear!" 

  
     Shobi blushed at her words. "What should I do, then, Kaede-sama?" he asked. He twiddled his thumbs innocently. 

  
     "Go in the room and console her!" Kaede yelled, stomping her foot and pointing to the door. "At this point, I no longer care: I only want rest and quiet!" 

  
     Shobi nodded softly before turning to the door. He took a deep breath as if he was to sink his head under deep waters. He shook for a few seconds before he opened the door, walked in, and closed it behind him. 

  
     The room was darkened with night, a thin ribbon of moonlight dully shining through the window. The embers from the fire strived for oxygen to reignite, and the wood crackled with ashen horror. There was minimal movement and sound in the room; it seemed as if death settled as a cloud of fog. 

  
     Shobi's heart leapt as a hand as pale as the moonlight itself gripped weakly onto the ledge of the window. Onyx cascading hair flowed upward, settling at the window. Another hand gripped at the ledge to support the dead weight of her body. The thin, fair maiden, like a naiad of the lake, staggered upward, taut with weakness from her ailment. 

  
     Shobi stared at her in mild awe for mere seconds; her beauty, even in such a state, was far too ghastly to prey upon. He felt as if his eyes bonded with her very frame and would not dare peel away. The same enchanted orbs dilated in the darkness to see her clearly. They slowly contracted as the young female pulled herself up to the window before she began to disappear through it. His reaction was quick: he caught her dangling feet and pulled her back inside of the room. "Rin-san!" he screamed, breaking the silence. 

  
     A short, shrill scream erupted from her lips as she twisted herself like a dying animal from his strong grip. Another scream escaped from her lips incoherently, as if she was weighed down by deafness. 

  
     "Rin-san, please! Do not hurt yourself!" He pulled her to him as she tore herself from his hold and went for the window. Her wildness amazed him. "_Rin-san_!" he screamed, wide eyed. 

  
     Rin threw her arms in every which direction weakly, shielding herself from the foreign hands. 'No! I only want him! Only him!' she thought. Another scream exploded from her lips as her wrists were grabbed forcefully, her back slamming into a solid, warm wall. Pain crawled within her chest, making her breath catch short. She struggled again, weakly this time, before she collapsed. Her head thrust upward and her eyes clenched as she quietly pleaded for the pain within her chest to dwindle. 

  
     "Rin-san…" Shobi said softly. He rested his small chin upon her crown as he tightened the hold that his arms put on the girl's torso, one palm widened against her chest. "Be calm…" He pressed his hand against her chest to steady her raucous breathing. 

  
     Rin did as told, shortening her breaths so that the pain dimmed. Seconds passed before her chest heaved heavily again, a moan of pain flowing from her mouth. Her heart drummed loudly within her ears and Shobi's as well, banging like drums against his chest. A soft sob escaped from her thin lips as her head dropped forward. An agonized, harsh, and banshee-like moan trailed from her mouth. She paused shortly as the male's soft, strong hand grabbed hers tenderly as he brought it to her neck. 

  
     "You are ill here, are you not?" Shobi whispered, his warm breath dancing around her ears. He didn't wait for her response before pressing her hand against her chest. "He has pained you here, no…?" 

  
     Rin did not know where the young man was getting at, but she knew undoubtedly that his touch was the most relieving thing she felt for days now. Her head bowed into a curt nod. "…Nn…" she managed to mutter coherently with her limited speech. [Un – the equivalent to yes]* 

  
     "Rin-san…, I will not leave it to chance…" he muttered slowly. The hand that was placed over hers gripped softly. "Please…, erase from your mind the memory of this youkai. Allow me to enter here—" he once again gripped her hand, which remained on her chest over her beating heart. "I swear to you that I will leave no mark of pain in you." 

  
     Rin's eyes widened. His warm words trailed from her ears and into her heart, warming it. 'But I cannot…' she thought. 'I have undying devotion to my lord.' 

  
     "Will you concede?" Shobi asked. "I can no longer deny that your beauty has indeed given my heart a thrill. The terror that you harbor is rather striking. Your sylvan wildness has bound me to you." 

  
     "I…prefer not to…" Rin uttered. She pulled her hand from his and rested it upon her lap, clasping onto the cloth tightly. 'I cannot…Sesshoumaru-sama…' she thought. She pulled away from him. 

  
     "Please, Rin-san," Shobi muttered as he pulled her against him once more. "Please…I will persist until I have a likable answer." 

  
     The pause was long and deathly. 

  
     'Sesshoumaru-sama…' Rin stilled. Her mind began to mull over the predicament. 'He left me…' she thought. 'What if…he never returns to me?' The thought alone made her head tighten and her eyes water. She could not bear such pain. A sniffle shattered the quiet. She didn't object to the wandering finger that kissed the flesh upon her cheeks. The tear was wiped away, and the hand soon rested upon her head. 

  
  
     _"Foolish brat…" the silver haired youkai muttered as he walked toward the girl. "For what do you cry over?" _

  
     The small girl looked up at the youkai, her eyes dilated, puffed, and glassy with tears. She shook her head quickly as a small mewl came from her lips. "Sesshoumaru-sama…" she drawled softly. 

  
     "With your perception, Rin, I oft forget that you are only a child," the youkai admitted as he looked down at her. "Your childish tears discompose this Sesshoumaru. Tell: What makes you cry?" 

  
     "Sesshoumaru-sama was gone for too long! Rin became afraid!" the girl said loudly before she stood in front of him, grabbing onto the pant of his hakami. "Jaken-sama said that Sesshoumaru-sama was possibly hurt, and then I became afraid that something bad had happened…" 

  
     The youkai seemed hesitant before he bent down. "Did Jaken say this?" he asked. 

  
     "Hai…" Rin muttered. "Jaken-sama also said that if Sesshoumaru-sama was well, then Sesshoumaru-sama had finally tired of us and had abandoned us." At that point, the girl's face wilted with sadness. "Rin believed Jaken-sama!" Her head found its way to the youkai's pants again as she cried endlessly. 

  
     She paused as she felt a clawed hand rest upon her head. She looked up at the youkai, sniffling. "Do not believe such lies, Rin," Sesshoumaru said. 

  
     "Nee…" she muttered. "This means…Sesshoumaru-sama will stay?" she asked. 

  
     The youkai gave the girl a look that made her think that her question was absurd. "I am here," he answered. 

  
     "Always?" she asked. 

  
     "I am here," he repeated. 

  
  
     "I am here, Rin-san…" 

  
     'Always…?' 

  
     "I am here…" Shobi repeated. 

  
     'Sesshoumaru-sama…!' Rin thought. 'You are here…finally. You never forsake me.' 

  
     "Will you concede?" Shobi asked again. There was quite another pause in which another tear from Rin brightened the darkness. The young male once more drank it with his finger. "Your tears distill me." His hand gripped through her hair tightly, almost desperately. "Please…give me your heart that I may be the blood that runs through it." 

  
     "Nn…" she answered. 

  
     A breath of relief came from Shobi, and a soft smile grew onto his lips. "I have you now…" he whispered. "Kami-sama, I have captured a deer from death…" 

  
     Rin smiled emptily. 

  
     The winds from the opened window blew through the room before escaping and howling away. 

  


-

  
     The taiyoukai breathed heavily, staggering as he walked. Pain tore within him as he rested weakly against the nearest tree. His head collided with the wood as he stifled a grunt of pain. He tensed quickly, trying to take his mind away from the pain. His cold, pale fingers gripped tightly onto the hilt of his healing sword. Why was it not working? He pulled the two swords from the sash and dropped them beside him. Next to come off was his broken, weighty shield. 

  
     An agonized sound tore from his lips as the shield grated against his bruised chest, cracking as it slid down. His head limply sagged to his blood-coated fur tail. His eyes clenched tightly as his mind flashed to just moments before: 

  
     The youkai was beyond used to battle; it was as normal as breathing air. Yet, this battle with three rather strong youkai proved the taiyoukai's weakness. He was attacked, bombarded from different sides brutally. These three youkai were well equipped with weaponry as well. If Rin were there, though, her voice would have distracted them well enough so that he could easily attack them. If Rin were there—no, no, he left her behind. 

  
     She was no more than a memory, no more than a distant thought, no more than an arbitrary name carried upon the wind. 

  
     The three youkai were dead and that was all that mattered. 

  
     The taiyoukai refused to think of her. He refused to remember her comforting voice, like cool water on a fine day, her concerned touch she gave him after every battle to check for his physical health, those eyes perceiving more than knowledge could bring, that boundless beauty that often left him at a lacking for words. 

  
     "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken yelled loudly. "_Daijobu ka_!?" the green imp asked. 

  
     "Jaken…" came the weak reply. His jaws tightened. 

  
     Pain coursed within the youkai; dull coldness streamed within his blood as he breathed asthmatically. His sightless eyes rolled upwards for a few seconds before the lids clenched, a hiss escaping his lips. His body jolted quickly, ejaculating a weak, soft cry from the youkai. His bloody claw struggled through the air to touch his slowly beating chest. His blood-coated nails scratched at the spot as if to rid himself of the cold pain. 

  
     Every red clump of blood that oozed from his flesh dripped onto the ground with the sound of a waterfall. His hand weakly sloshed through the bloody tail while eliciting uncomfortable sounds, like claws ripping through tender, bloody meat. What vision he had was slowly darkening, and his body was giving a forbidden dance, wavering to and fro. 

  
     Jaken dropped the reigns of Ah'Un in wild panic and instantly ran over to his lord. The monster had been before dragging the imp for a reason or another, grunting in panic and displeasure. Now he realized why. "What _happened_?!" When he finally reached the taiyoukai, he understood why he was staggering between consciousness and unconsciousness. There were multiple wounds on the youkai: gashes, scratches, bruises, and the blood soaked the youkai. 

  
     "Ja…ken…—Ri…" The taiyoukai gave into the black void encompassing him. His eyes turned skyward, shaking uncontrollably, and his body fell limply to the side until he became one with the ground, dust flying up and carrying off with the weeping wind. 

  
     "_**Uwa**_!!" Jaken screamed as his eyes widened. He stuttered stupidly as he tried to figure out what to do. Ah'Un instantly nuzzled their snouts against the still taiyoukai. When he didn't respond, they nudged harder, moaning in distress. "Ah'Un, bend, _bend_! Bend low that I may put Sesshoumaru-sama on your back!" 

  
     The monster bent in subjection to the order, and Jaken struggled to drag the taiyoukai onto their scaly back. When the difficult process was over, the dragon stood straight, Sesshoumaru laid limply across his back, his hand dangling almost lifelessly over the side. 

  
     "What do I do now? Where do I go?!" Jaken asked himself. "The tono is too far from here…It will take more than a week to arrive there…" And the imp new: that amount of time might be too long a time for the taiyoukai to survive. He did not know where he was to go. There was no time to think. [palace] 

  
     The winds blew forcefully, seemingly pushing Jaken to make haste. After much thought, he decidedly grabbed onto the reigns of Ah'Un after placing the youkai's swords on the monster and sauntered off, unaware of where he was heading. He would abide by the calls of the winds. 

  


-

  
     Bokusenou's distressed smile grew. A breathless sigh escaped from his lips. "I feared that I would have to resort to such an action against you, Sesshoumaru-sama. I never fathomed that this would happen, though…" 

  
     For sure, the tree had made it part of his plan that Tensusaiga was not to aid the youkai. As for the three youkai attacking Sesshoumaru, he had not planned such an action against the taiyoukai at all. This was a fearsome thing that had transpired. Sesshoumaru must merely think these wounds as something easy to heal. But these youkai that attacked him…they were a rare kind, poisonous to health and mind. 

  
     The least in his power that he was able to do was direct Jaken to the closest place that would offer up a room and a healer's time. Not even _he _knew where the green imp was heading as of now. 

  
     All was left to fate. 

  
     "I dread that my meddling has now done harm…" The boughs drooped low, crying its leave onto the ground. 

  


-

  
     Two days had passed henceforth, and the taiyoukai showed no sign of self-recovery. Jaken often looked back to check for the health of him. It grew worse with each glance. The pale peach tone of the taiyoukai was replaced with a clammy white and blue. The quiet breath of the youkai was now an erupting wheeze. The simple lordship of the youkai was gone: they looked like simple, battle-torn travelers. 

  
     Jaken's worry did not deplete, and the imp knew that if a certain female youth had been in the presence of the youkai, then none of this would ever have happened. "…Maa…Rin, that stupid child. Sesshoumaru needs her." The imp murmured as he continued his trek. The winds blew against him. He was wrenched from his thoughts as Ah'Un pulled away from him quickly. "Baka! What are you doing?!" He let go of the reigns so that he could wave his arms about the air angrily. 

  
     Jaken's eyes widened when the monster took off to his left. He would have stopped the monster, but lately it had been proving that it knew exactly what it was doing. He simply ran after it until they were in a clearing on a hill. The imp heaved as he leaned against the monster. "Where is this, Ah'Un?" he asked breathlessly. He heard the animal grunt, so he looked up at it. "What is it, Ah'Un?" he asked. 

  
     The question went unanswered as the monster once again took off, running down the hill, careful as possible that its lord remained unharmed. "Chotto matte!" Jaken screamed after monster, waving his staff after it as he ran. His eyes widened as he saw the aim of the monster. There was a small village. [Hold on!] 

  
     "Uwa!" the green ghoul screamed when his lord slid from the monster's back. The fall wasn't what had Jaken's heart racing, though. 

  
     The team of village men with spears and arrows was what worried the short youkai even more so. 

  
     Before Jaken could complete a blink, Ah'Un was tied down, and the men were circled around the taiyoukai. The green youkai gasped and then ran. "Matte! Matte, matte, matte!" he screamed, pushing his short legs to reach the village men. Heaving by the time he reached the bewildered humans, he rested his hands on his knees. "Ba…ka…nin…gen…!" he managed to mutter. "No one attacks Sesshoumaru-sama of the Western Lands!" 

  
     "I do not believe this near dead youkai to be a lord," spoke one of the men. "It would be best to put him out of his misery." 

  
     "Matte!" 

  
– 

_* Rin meant "Un", which is the equivalent to yes. With her speech, she can only manage to mutter simple, usually incoherent syllables. "Uun" is a simple word in Japanese, and it can even said with the mouth shut. So this does not apply to her speech impediment. _

**A/N**: Oooh~! Evil mystery ending, nee?? Hahaha! I decided to be cruel, cuz you know, it's me we're talking about >:D. *reads too much torture manga =______=* So…how did you like this chapter?! WASN'T IT JUST LICKABLE?!!? No…I'm sorry, I'm just a little hyper @3@. It can't be helped. Ah yes, the chapter was inspired by McKennit's CD The Visit. I like some songs on it :D. And…*runs far away enough* HAH! NOW YOU CAN'T CATCH ME FOR DOING THE SHOBI/RIN SCENE!! So yah, anyway, review responses: 

_Cookie6: Thank you :D *kicks dogs X3* _

Tsume Yamagata: Hehe, do I really? :3333!! Shobi? Aw, little Shobi, I just love him. He's so poetic. I wish all men were like him XD 

ahimals: No Shobi shouldn't! NO SHOBI SHOULDN'T!! *hides Shobi from evil fan people* Dun woooorrrrrrrry! And he's not TRYING to take somefin' from Sess! He merely wants to mend broken wings…and keep them for himself X3!! 

D-Chan3: Oooh! Heh…yah, I definitely misread, then XDXD! Well, you see, Sesshou-sama tried to see if Bokusenou knew a cure. And if Bokusenou doesn't, he probably thinks it pointless cuz the tree is wise and old and ancient, so it's probably VERY intelligent X3X3!! Good point about Rin dying from a broken heart. You took it literally. So did I. 

Lima Squamosa: School HAS been a buttock! X3! I admit that it was a short chapter too, that's why I made this one a bit longer :D There's nothing wrong with being a book worm. It's a GOOD lifestyle! :D 

drake220: Actually, I agree with you, it DOES serve Sess right. Oh don't worry, there was a reason why I wrote about minimal Sess feelings. One thing that you could tell though was that he was preeeettty mad at Boku-sama X3X3! But, don't worry, it's hard getting Sesshoumaru's feelings, that's why it will come in a later chapter *has it perfectly planned out X3X3* 

Chisuto: It was SORT of an illusion. More like…it was Bokusenou's doll. The general idea that I'm trying to give about Bokusenou is that wind is his companion, and earth, trees, and plants are sort of under his subjection. Heh…I hope you understand that ):D. And that's a good question about Rin learning to read and write. Note, in the first chapters I mentioned (I think and hope) that she is already learned. She KNOWS how to write, and she KNOWS how to read. Just…wait and see, eh? 

marnika: What would I do without you :D? You're one of my favouritest reviewers!! :D And yes, she isn't bratty XD 

MizuCrystal: Heh…how were the SATs, by the way? I hope you didn't fill out that your name was Sesshoumaru X3 *booo bad joke* 

cotton-angel: Wee! I'm glad you do :D 

Galandria the Vampire Queen: Kay kay :D 

TheCat: Thank you (about the emotions comment)! In this story, Rin is er…16 :D NO! LOVE AS IN MARRY!! >:0!! Hehe, Rinnie booboo. Cute X3 

Fuuga Kumi: :D??? This?? Beautifully written?? *cries of happiness* I try so hard XDXD. Nee, you wait with baited breath?? *checks word in dictionary >_>;;;;* Oooh. Now I see…hehe! Well, wait no longer! :D 

Kawaii-Inu-Inutaisho: :D:D:D:D?????? You likey my storeh?? ;-; *more crying* Myumyu~~ Er…about Rin touching Shobi…heh… *hides in a corner* Why did he hurt Rin? Have you ever heard of a little thing called denial? Yah…that's why :D… 

WraithWolf368: Thank you for that comment about Sess' character :D And thanks for dee comment about their interaction! *glompiness* 

bearmoon: Yah, I like bokuesenou, too! Though…I'm sort of giving him this character @3@. *pokes him* I want to eat him X3 

willow wisp: Hey…I like that! Chill bumps. I think I'm stealing that from you >:D! And yes, I was trying to make Sess very…in character. It gets hard sometimes, though…My writing?? Po…e…tic?? Myumyu!! *glomples you* 

Random Thoughts: Hehe, I'll write asap :D 

Zircon: Flog is a seksi word myumyu~ 

vegita-dias: Myu! YOU REVIEWED!!?? Myumyu~ *glomples you now and forevah~~* Yes, angst fills my soul with happiness…:D… 

And dat ish all, mai friends :D. Now…not much to say. Erm…my comment still stands…YOU WILL BE FLOGGED IF YOU DO NOT READ CLOUDS THAT FALL!!! *lies* Er…heh…anyway, I only have one suggestion for you guys to read, and I promised her I'd do this to her story :D 

**_Thread Bound_ by vegita-dias**: Oh yes. It's as you thought. A Rin/Sess. Because, you know, there's no way for me to resist this couple. And much more: this is an angst…so now I am delighted X3X3. Well…think of a scenario where Sess tries to kill himself in the FIRST CHAPTER and Rin saved him. Interested?? So was I. Go read it. Now. I order you. Or I WILL bite your fingers off and feed them to my imaginary blob thing…Be aware…it's acidic o___O___o   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Chapter 6: What was and What is

**A/N: **I really don't have much to say, accept thank you to drake220! You're awesome, you gave me the kind of review that I _want _every so often so that I can _improve_ on my writings (and thank you for telling me about the word 'distilled' that I used…I have a really bad knack for using that word because it _looks_ like it means 'make unsteady/disturb' or something like that. So no, it wasn't a typo on my fault, it was an act of stupidity :P). In such a case, I will dedicate the chapter to _you, _cuz you care! :D!!

Just so that you all are aware, there WILL be a lot of scene changes within the (much) latter part of the chapter and I think that not adding '-' will give it a better effect. I'm going to go for the _Brave New World_ feel for a part of it (Good book! Good book! I read it last week…OMG, good book 3). And too make things all the more easy, I will code things. You'll understand as you read. As in, the normal scene sequence will be in normal font, the other will be in **bold font**, and the other will be in _italicized font_.

And by the way...I really hate using this quick edit program. I hate it, hate it, _hate_ it! I spent half of the day REDOING this chapter AFTER it was posted... This quick edit stuff sux. ;-;

**  
** –

**Silent Echoes**

**•**

I dug, beneath the cypress shade,

What well might seem an elfin's grave;

And every pledge in earth I laid,

That erst thy false affection gave.

I pressed them down the sod beneath;

I placed one mossy stone above;

And twined the rose's fading wreath

Around the sepulchre of love.

Frail as thy love, the flowers were dead,

Ere yet the evening sun was set:

But years shall see the cypress spread,

Immutable as my regret.

_Beneath the __Cypress__ Shade _by Thomas Love Peacock

-

**Chapter 7: _What was and What is_**

**•**

_"Sesshoumaru-sama!" the girl cried out, staring at the youkai with a happiness seeping with hidden grief. Her eyes no sooner filled with tears._

_"Foolish brat…" the silver haired youkai muttered as he sauntered toward the girl. He had no time to deal with the bothersome tears of a child; his travels were long and arduous: he was quite fatigued. His hand trailed through his lengthy silver hair, untangling the knots—he would have her brush his hair later; it was all she was good for at present—and tucking the river-like strands behind his shoulder. "For what do you cry over?" he asked, his voice laden with ennui._

_Rin girl looked up at the youkai, her eyes dilated, puffed, and glassy with tears. She shook her head quickly as a small mewl came from her lips. Mist arose from the cold ground, and the youkai raised an eyebrow as his eyes fell upon Rin's dirty and worn feet, pale with veins like rivers of green and blue upon a field of ash._

_His eye gave the smallest inclination of a twitch. 'Such impudence. She will fall ill. Will she not speak?' Sesshoumaru threw her a puffed-up stare, his nose slightly sticking upwards. 'If not, then by all means will this Sesshoumaru leave.' A quick step to his side to turn made the girl start._

_"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Rin drawled softly, timidity shaking her voice._

_Sesshoumaru threw a sideways glance at her._

_"Mm…" the girl whined. Seconds passed before the glassiness in her eyes melted into hot tears, scorching her reddening cheeks._

_The girl really did not understand how much the youkai loathed her at times, did she? Maybe she was unaware of how she made him feel ill at ease at times: her tears were able to move him, manipulate that blackened and shriveled organ within his chest. How treacherous it was. He cursed himself everyday for returning her life with his accursed sword. Every night and day spent with the girl chafed away his much wanted stoicism. She knew exactly what she was doing, the clever brat._

_"With your perception, Rin, I oft forget that you are only a child," the youkai admitted as he looked down at her. She was sometimes too clever for him, which made him pass over the fact that she was still only a child. Her current, weak tears were not an every day occurrence. "Your childish tears discompose this Sesshoumaru. Tell: What makes you cry?"_

_Rin looked up at him with distressed eyes. "Sesshoumaru-sama was gone for too long! Rin became afraid!" she shrieked before she stood in front of him, grabbing onto the pant of his hakama. "Jaken-sama said that Sesshoumaru-sama was possibly hurt, and then Rin became afraid that something bad had happened…"_

_Was this all Rin was crying over? Surely she was not attached to the youkai to such an extent. He had only been gone a month or more. Alas, it was either hearing her pestering cries all the way until reaching the tono, or calming her right now while Jaken was away. "Did Jaken say this?" Sometimes that imp was asking to be cut in half._

_"Hai…" Rin muttered. "Jaken-sama also said that if Sesshoumaru-sama was well, then Sesshoumaru-sama had finally tired of us and had abandoned us." At that point, the girl's face wilted with sadness, cheeks puffing, lips twisting into a strange pout, and eyes wrinkling as they shut. How revolting. "Rin believed Jaken-sama!" Her head found its way to the youkai's pants again, her pale fingers gripping tightly at the white cloth as she cried endlessly._

_Was the taiyoukai actually going to comfort her? How low. Yet the air tightened with the awful scent of tears and heartbreak. It was not as if he showed affection to her at any given time. But he knew that once would be too much; she would then ask for more attention. So why had his hand found its way to her small head—a head so frail and fragile that it could easily be crushed, melted, or cut off with the simple movement of his wrist or fingers? "Do not believe such lies, Rin," he said._

_"Nee…" Rin muttered as she looked up, the warmth of her forehead leaving his leg. "This means…Sesshoumaru-sama will stay?" she asked hopefully._

_Sesshoumaru thinned his eyes at her. "I am here," he answered._

_"Always?" she asked, freeing her hand from his pant and wiping an eye._

_"I am here," he repeated. "This is not good enough for you, Rin?" He noted how quickly the redness of her cheeks disappeared and how the tears dried with the swipes of her small fingers. She was too pale…_

_"Un," she answered with giant nods and an excited smile. "Sesshoumaru-sama will stay with Rin forever, nee, nee?" She asked playfully and innocently. "Because Rin loves Sesshoumaru-sama! And Sesshoumaru-sama needs someone to love!"_

_'Insolence…' Sesshoumaru thought, giving the girl a dubious glare. "Come, Rin." Standing straight, he turned around and pivoted on one foot before his ear twitched at the sound of a thud. He felt that was coming for a while now. He turned around once again and saw the small girl on the ground. He went on contemplating on leaving her there for a few seconds. She was of no use to him. She could die for all he cared (and that was not much)._

_"Gomen nasai, Sesshoumaru-sama…" the girl muttered weakly, her breath misty in the fog. Her hand twitched. "Rin did not mean to become sick." A pause._

_The youkai stared at her carelessly._

_"Rin waited for Sesshoumaru-sama here…"_

_Sesshoumaru was unmoved by it all. Nothing within him stirred. "Hnh." He no sooner turned around and started to walk away. He did not need this; there were things more important for him to handle than a simple human girl._

_ "Rin was waiting for Sesshoumaru-sama and forgot to bring food for four nights and three days. Rin is hungry and tired…" she complained softly._

_ Within the lord was a jolt at her words. So strong was that jolt that he ended up standing next to her and looking down at her. She was indeed frail and fragile. She was indeed weak. Even so, he remembered that time a year ago when he had caught her from Death's revenge. She had screamed his name so forcefully, with such passion, and cried for help, and there was no hesitation within him to find her. There had been no hesitation within him to catch her as she fell from such a deathly height._

_ There had been no hesitation within him as he held her tightly with his only arm, carried her until they had reached campsite._

_ There was no hesitation now as he picked her up with his lone arm to carry her to the tono._

Thick, silver lashes separated, eyelids flitting open. The citrine eyes dilated and contracted methodically, glossing instantly at the heat in the air. A dream? A memory? An apparition of the past? How insignificant…Where was he? Was he not last fighting with three youkai?

The muddled thoughts tortured the taiyoukai's mind; straining flashes of everything and nothing was all he saw as his eyes came to a close. Eyebrows turned inward, he opened the orbs again, his vision clear and all thoughts straightened. Once again, the last he remembered was the battle with the three youkai. And then…there was that…last glimpse of her…

The taiyoukai inwardly cursed. That girl was all he thought of! She was like opium, as one first enjoys the taste of it, the feel of it down his throat, the pleasure given to him each time he has it, the way his life gyrates around the very word until it cannot be rid from his thinking or his actions and he just wants to be rid of the drug all together. Rin plagued him. He had his reason to leave the girl behind…

"Youkai-sama!" The shrill scream came from his side, jolting him out of his thoughts.

The youkai sat up instantly, regretting the actions seconds later. He leaned over, his claws gripping at his bare chest as his breath cut short. He clenched his eyes tightly as a breathless sigh escaped his pale blue lips. This pain he felt within him was unquestionably excruciating. His chest tightened and something within it gave a convulsive jerk before an almost inaudible groan seeped from his lips.

A small, cold hand unsteadily wavered in the air before touching at his bare shoulder. "Youkai-sama?" the girl asked softly.

Sesshoumaru opened an eye and thinned it at the girl. She minutely resembled…His other eye opened and he groaned softly, muttering a curse.

"Daijobu ka?" the girl asked softly, shaking his shoulder. "Youkai-sama was very ill just two days ago. Youkai-sama should be glad because Yuri stopped oniichan and otousaan from poking you _very hard _with their spears and arrows. Now Yuri and okasaan are taking care of Youkai-sama!" The two pig-tails at the sides of her head bobbed with every sentence she ended, and the smile on her lips only grew larger. Her huge, brown eyes were covered by unusually thick eyelashes and thinned as her smile grew and her cheeks inflated.

Looking away from the brat, the youkai spoke harshly. "Where is Jaken? Who has given you consent to touch this Sesshoumaru?"

"Ja…ken? The green thing? Ah, Jaken-sama is outside of the village because 'filthy humans' cannot be in his 'presence'! Jaken-sama says that if okasaan and I cannot cure you, he will burn our village down. He looks too funny to mean it—" She paused and watched in awe as the youkai in front of her stood up.

To the young girl, Sesshoumaru looked like a teetering, battered prince. Her mouth widened and then turned into an 'O' shape as her eyebrows lifted toward the ceiling. Craning her neck back so that she could see the youkai in full, she let out a sound of absolute delight.

The youkai stared down at her for seconds and she willingly stared at him with wide and unblinking innocent eyes. A sound came from him akin to 'Hnh' before he thinned his eyes. A smile crawled onto her lips, and then the youkai turned away after his eyes widened minimally.

"Hah…! Youkai-sama is very beautiful…" the girl drawled in awe. "But return to bed; Youkai-sama is still ill!" Her eyes widened when her words went deaf to the youkai's ears, and she watched as he took up his sash and tightened it around his waist. "Youkai-sama…"

The youkai paused and then he stared at her more closely. Everything went still for moments upon more moments. His eyes squinted as he scrutinized her. The Devil was certainly playing more games with him, using him as a pawn, holding him within the palm of his hands and threatening to break him into pieces. Certainly Fate had joined the Devil in his impious scheming. Everywhere he turned had a drop of Rin's resonance. It was driving him mad.

Yet…as she became more embedded in his mind, and as he stared at this little girl, who indubitably resembled Rin as a child to perfection, something within him rumbled, telling him that what he had done was taking the incorrect course. The more Rin smiled in his thoughts, the more he remembered when she held onto him closely for warmth during cold nights he felt something that he thought was insignificant before.

He snarled as something within his chest tightened painfully for a few seconds. "Brat…" Sesshoumaru gave a glare full of vehemence. "You annoy this Sesshoumaru with your words! Your living in itself is alone disgraceful. Leave." If words could bring about pain, his words just crushed the girl's heart, as if he had grabbed it with his large fist and tightened his hold of it until it burst.

It was a slow process: Yuri's eyes widened immeasurably, reddened, and soon became glassy with hot tears. Her peachy cheeks blemished with blotches of red and then her lips curled up into a repulsive pout. Chin shaking with mewls from her mouth she gave a soft, short blubber. And then there was a long, drawn out hum before she widened her mouth and cried out, the tears now pouring onto her cheeks.

The taiyoukai left the hut without a single ounce of regret. He did not have time to deal with a child. He would find Jaken and they would leave. He reached the outskirts of the village with difficulty, glaring at any human who made eye contact with him. What was more, his wounds were not fully healed; walking the short distance was rather difficult.

He leaned against the entrance pillar and breathed heavily, turning his head to the heavens to keep his flow of air solid. He felt lightheaded again. His vision was no longer clear. He leaned forward, his hand still on the pillar for support, and squinted at the greenery ahead of him. Everything was growing dim; everything was blurring before his eyes. He could feel the blood rushing to his head, making it spin.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

His ears perked in the direction of the grotesque voice. His head snapped in the direction. The sudden rush caused his eyes to roll upwards before he collapsed onto the ground.

Why was it that every time his sight faded he saw _her_ last? And why was it that every time his mind echoed with images of her his chest became tighter and he felt a bitter coldness—a feeling of growth like dry ice within his chest?

Curse her—_everything_ about her.

He wanted her back…

Jaken ran to the fallen lord and promptly shook him. "Sesshoumaru-sama! _Maa_! His wounds are still uncured!" The last sentence was a mutter, and the small imp simply stared at his lord for a few seconds. 'I wish Rin were here…' he thought. 'Things would not come to this…'

After a few seconds, Jaken decided that his lord spent too long in the village. He summoned Ah'Un and the creature galloped over as gracefully as possible before bending low so that he could tediously place his lord on the back. His eyes widened when Sesshoumaru grunted in pain as his hand unconsciously fell upon his chest, pining at it.

The taiyoukai's eyebrows were drawn inward in pain and his face was once again pallor. The clawed hand weakly curled over his chest as a soft murmur came from his lips. The murmur rumbled into one coherent syllable.

"Rin…"

Jaken did not falter. If there was one being to address, it would be that ancient tree, Bokusenou.

-

Within the past four days, the affection Rin felt for Shoji had minimally grown. The young man was effectively able to pull her from her sadness and make her forget about the lord that had abandoned her weeks prior.

That was the most he could do.

It was a constant action, though, to try to make her genuinely smile. He brought her flowers; he made her tea; he played music for her—none of these seemed to make her give an authentic, heartfelt smile. He came close at one point, but even then did Rin turn away with a flinch, clutching her chest in pain.

Shobi sat on the mat in front of the fire, meditating quietly. Eyebrows torn downward and lips in a scowl, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, breathing deeply and slowly. The sound of the shouji sliding open disrupted his ruminations and he turned around angrily, still on his knees. A scowl fell upon his lips and a fisted hand arose. "I have said _many_ times before—ah, Rin-san," he muttered, bowing his head apologetically.

Rin gave him a tender smile as she held onto the tray tightly with one hand, putting the weight of it on her hip and holding open the shouji with her free hand. She looked down at the dish of food and then at him to indicate that she had brought him the meal to eat. Her eyebrows puckered as if she asked him if he were hungry at all.

"Gomen nasai…" He bowed his head low. "Pardon my being rude. Please, come in and eat with me." He moved over and left space for her to also sit and eat.

"So, Rin-san," Shobi began, placing his chopsticks down to speak, "now that you have allowed me to come into your life, so to speak, may I ask you some questions? The least I have been able to do for you for the past few days is make you smile."

"Un." Rin nodded, the fissure of red lips forming a smile. Her eyes danced under the firelight as she stared at him.

"Ano…what age are you?" the young man asked. "20?"

Rin shook her head vigorously, and then she threw her hand over her shoulder. "Uun."

"Younger, then, I suppose…" Shobi placed his chin in his fingers and gave her a quick inspection. "18?"

Rin once again threw her hand over her shoulder, putting up two fingers as well. To her this was all a game, something to keep her mind off _him_ so that she could move on as time passed. Maybe, she constantly thought, she would forget Sesshoumaru and find someone that she would bind her heart and life to. Maybe, she constantly thought, she could become strong again so that she would not be too moved by the past.

"16?!" Shobi asked in shock. Rin nodded. "_What_?! I don't believe it! I am 22, and at first glance when I had seen you, I thought you to be around my age. I find your beauty rather rewarding." He smiled widely at her.

Rin's blush vanished from her cheeks rather quickly at the statement and she stared at Shobi with wide eyes. 'What?' she thought. A quick rush of adrenaline pumped in her veins and trailed into her chest, quickly leaving as she made herself calm. 'They were simple words…' Yet something—she grabbed at her chest in pain as she leaned forward. A cough caused her to place a hand on the floor for support.

"Rin-san! Are you alright? Was it something I said?"

'Of course it was!' she screamed in thought. "Uun," she muttered, shaking her head for emphasis.

Shobi gave her a few minutes to calm, rubbing her back gently. When she seemed well, he sat up with a smile. "Rin-san, I know that it is difficult for you to speak so I took it upon myself to get you this sumi-e set with zuan paper." He pulled out a roll of bamboo skin with the said items in it. "I do not know if you cannot speak against your own will or if you choose to limit your use of words. But either way, Rin-san, I bought you these…so that you can express yourself through writing. You seem to be a learned woman."

Rin took the three items and smiled at them widely. 'Why had I not thought of writing?!' she thought. 'Yes! Of course! This just may be it!' She let out a sound of elation.

"It strikes me that you are much learned, though, Rin-san. Women usually are not…"

"Un…" she agreed, setting down the roll and grabbing her cup of water to drip some into the ink-stone. She unfurled the bamboo and stared at the contents for a short while with widened eye. It was a set! 'Oh wow!' she thought. 'This is just…wonderful!' She turned to Shobi and gave him a tight hug before she touched the sumi-e brushes. Her heart leapt in elation. She gave a sigh, smiling at Shobi.

Her hand fell upon his face gently as she gave a nod. Her heart warmed toward him instantly at his gracious thoughts. Shobi blushed and turned away.

When he knew she was not looking at him, his eyebrows furrowed and he gave a smirk.

This was _all_ too easy…

-

Jaken stared at the greenery around him, his eyes widened. What was going on? Was he not in the right forest? Everything was…stripped. The leaves were gone, disappeared, not even left upon the bare ground. The stalks of bamboo were now giving off a red hue—it was like blood seeped onto them and suffocated them. He rubbed his eyes—maybe he was only hallucinating.

Still holding onto the reigns of Ah'Un, he pulled the dragon with him. His eyes roved about the barren forest until finally he saw the old oak tree. His…leaves were falling. Was he mourning?

"Ah Bokusenou!" Jaken called, running toward the old tree. "Everything is wrong!" he shouted. "Everything! Everything!"

"Hush." Bokusenou's voice was charred with worry. "Come around, Jaken," he muttered. "Come, come." His boughs shook at Jaken, leaves falling around the imp.

Jaken did as told, letting go of the reigns. "Bokusenou, you know everything that passes! What, tell me, what is it that is wrong with Sesshoumaru-sama?" he asked in panic as he walked toward the front side of the tree. "Sesshoumaru-sama has never taken this long to heal! There is no recovery that I see! And—" He gasped.

"I know…" the tree muttered. "Terrible, is it not?" The naked branches shook as one would shiver if naked in a gust of winter wind. "My leaves have been falling for over a week uncontrollably. I feel like an old human: barren and bare. Disgusting, I must say."

"Well…it _is_ the time for winter…" Jaken muttered with a hand on his chin.

"Yes, aside from the fact that I am a youkai and I _should not be shedding_!" The tree snapped. He usually was not as ill-tempered as he was now, but this was something that _worried_ him. And given the circumstances, he had his reasons.

"Bokusenou, this is aside from the point! I came here to talk to you—"

"—Hai, hai, about Sesshoumaru-sama. I am fully aware of the situation, Jaken. The winds lately have been crying to me in pain at both Sesshoumaru-sama _and _the girl, Rin. And yes—" he started, stopping Jaken before he would ask him just how he knew about the situation "—I have been informed by some of my…messengers of your happenings, Jaken." He let out a sigh as a dry leaf undulated in the wind. "I know what has happened recently to Sesshoumaru as well. I must say, though, that I had not seen that coming at all…"

"But…Bokusenou…Ugh…" Jaken was becoming irritable. Patience was one thing he harbored least, and speaking with the tree right now was wearing it thinner as every word was passed on. "Sesshoumaru-_sama_ seems to be more…troubled with his wounds than is necessary. I do not understand why! And—and he has been grabbing at his chest lately! Bokusenou, something is wrong!"

"And it is my fault in many, many ways…" the tree muttered. "Chichi-gimi cursed me—pah—I knew there was more than what he had told me…"

**  
** **Sesshoumaru stirred on top of Ah'Un gently. His silver lashes parted quickly as he stared upward in mild confusion. He moved his heavy hand through the air before placing it on his forehead, moving the fly-away strings of hair from his face. The tickling sensation caused him to heave a quick breath. The breath he took alerted him—he could smell oak and magnolia carrying in the wind. Bokusenou's forest, no?**

** He dragged himself off Ah'Un with mild difficulty, clutching at his chest after a few seconds. It was throbbing with pain…**

**  
** _Rin's hands shook as she grabbed the sumi-e and dipped it lightly into the ink. 'Why am I so nervous?' she thought. 'There is…nothing for me to fear. Nothing at all…' Her fingers delicately wrapped around the brush and wavered over the paper as she kneeled over it._

_ "Go on, Rin-san. It will not hurt you to write…" Shobi ushered, pointing to the paper. He smiled as she looked up at him quickly._

**  
** **He took a solitary step onto the dry leaves. And another. A third. It was a rather painful task. The youkai had been finding it more difficult to do _anything _what with this pain throbbing within his chest—this dull, cold pain. He took another step as he thought, 'What is it that Jaken is doing here? Incompetence…'**

**  
** _She looked back at the paper and gave a deep sigh. 'It is not like this is the first time I am doing this…' she thought. 'Just relax, Rin. Relax…' she coaxed herself._

_ "Maybe…" Shobi began, "maybe you can write to me? Just…of how you have lost your voice?"_

_ Rin smiled at the suggestion and stared at the paper once more. She felt more calm after the proposition. 'That is exactly what I will do. Maybe then I can…no…I should not think of that…'_

_ The heel of her palm touched the paper as she moved her wrist delicately. Her fingers shook uncontrollably. 'Why? I am not nervous anymore! Why…am I still shaking?' She tried once more to write. The brush wavered above the paper shakily before pain flared within her chest._

_ An unnoticed smirk crawled onto Shobi's lips._

**  
** "Chichi-gimi…hmm…Areh! Sesshoumaru-sama's father! Cursed you?! How?! I do not understand…And…do not explain anything to me that has nothing to do with this situation. If _you_ do not know how to cure Sesshoumaru-sama at all, then I should leave."

"Believe me, Jaken; I know a cure for Sesshoumaru-sama…" Bokusenou said with a grimace. "Though I believe it may not work with Sesshoumaru-sama. I do not think that he has the—how should I say?—_ability_ to make such a '_daring_' move."

Jaken's eyes widened. His patience was gone. "Sesshoumaru-sama is on the _back_ of Ah'Un right now, suffering from an unknown ailment that is _slowing down_ his healing process! You speak _now_; ninjitou can burn this _whole _forest down within moments!"

"This—ah…this is difficult—" He seemed distracted. He looked about as much as his eyes could take him but saw nothing. Something…was moving? No, impossible. "I suppose that an explanation _is_ needed…" he muttered.

"Indeed…" Jaken rolled his eyes. "Speak…!"

**  
** _She let out a grunt before the pain doubled, making her lean over as she groaned in pain. She dropped the brush. The pain was far too excruciating._

** The youkai shivered quickly. Something within him shook his attention. But to what? He took another few steps.**

**  
** "When Inutaishou-sama came to me concerning the scabbard of Tensuseiga in particular he requested something…more than special."

"And?" Jaken pressed.

"You _are_ aware that Tensuseiga saves the lives instead of taking them, I am sure." Bokusenou did not even wait for a reply. "Inutaishou told me about the power of this sword…the, as one would say, deeper power."

"And that would be…?" Jaken asked.

**  
** _"Rin-san!" Shobi instantly moved behind her and grabbed her arms to still her. "Are you alright?" he asked._

_**  
**__ Rin gave a rather weak nod and pulled from him before she picked up the brush again. He scooted away from her, leaving little space between the two of them. She once again dipped the tip of the brush in the ink before kneeling over the paper. A black drop fell from the brush onto the paper, staining it like blood upon a white kimono. She stared at the drop for a few seconds before lowering her hand onto the paper._

_ Finally, she let the brush touch the paper—of course this was at the expense of a twinge of pain on her part. She winced and then gave a short spasm._

_ She suddenly found herself in the hold of Shobi. He was stationed behind her, a hand placed gently on her torso. His other hand covered the hand she held the brush in. Her hand moved with his as he made one line after another onto the paper._

_ The pain within her chest softened. She gave a gasp. 'What is this?' she thought. 'Shobi…he is…!' The pain within her was disappearing…_

**  
** **The youkai grabbed his chest in pain, sweltering heat encompassing his chest before it returned to dull coldness. He controlled the rumble within his throat to a small grunt that would have otherwise been a cry of pain.**

**  
** Jaken turned his attention to the faint sound. He stared at the plant life before him before he concluded that he was only hallucinating.

Bokusenou knew what he heard. Though he could not see what made that noise, the slight push of wind let him know exactly what was there…or whom, rather. He gave a quick smirk.

_Her heart warmed at his kind gesture. He was so pure, all of his actions. She smiled as their hands moved together, forming one character after the other. Her free hand pressed against his hand that was on her torso._

**  
** **Sesshoumaru grunted before he leaned against the nearest tree. The pain trailed from within his chest and rattled his whole body, making him tremble almost wildly.**

** What was it that was making him suffer so?**

**  
** "This deeper 'power' is channeled by…hmm…deliberate and intentional actions on the users' part, which would be Sesshoumaru-sama in this case. Inutaishou-sama has bestowed upon Sesshoumaru-sama a great power: to bring back the life of one, few, or many. The weaker power of Tensuseiga is to compulsively bring a life back. The stronger, deeper power of Tensuseiga that Inutaishou-sama gave Sesshoumaru-sama is more different."

"Will you keep wasting my time, Bokusenou?!" Jaken blurted angrily. "You obviously do not know how to cure Sesshoumaru-sama, so I should leave!"

"Ah, ah…but I am getting to the point," Bokusenou said invitingly. "Sesshoumaru-sama brought Rin back to life, no?"

"Yes…" Jaken answered.

"Ah…interesting indeed!" Bokusenou exclaimed. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I have come to observe, has used Tensuseiga a few other times as well." He allowed Jaken time to nod. "Sesshoumaru-sama's catching Rin from death's clutches was not a compulsory act. The sword says so. The sword feels Sesshoumaru-sama's actions…"

****

**  
** He stood straight after a few seconds of struggling for breath. The pain within him slowly scattered away.

**  
** _Rin widened her eyes as something with her scolded her from of her actions. Something within the deepest pit of her mind told her that…this was all wrong. Very wrong. 'I…do not like this feeling. She pulled away from Shobi rather quickly. She stood up and stared at him._

_ "Rin-san…!" Shobi said as he looked up at her before he stood as well._

_ She turned around, opened the shouji, and slammed it before she ran. 'Why? Why am I running!'_

**  
** **The youkai's eyes roved about the ground before he caught sight of blackened ashes. Dead. The eyes roved only a few feet away from the ashes and caught sight of flowers, rather familiar ones. The red and purple petals stared at him with a tang of orange sprinkled in them. That was the same flower she wore in her hair when she kissed him.**

** _Kissed_ him.**

**  
** "And the action that Sesshoumaru-sama took to revive Rin was more…sympathetic than anything else. In other words, Jaken, and in lighter terms, Inutaishou-sama made it so that the first being that Sesshoumaru-sama revived without his heart shielded with ice would have his heart. And he hers."

Jaken's eyes widened. "Ha—Have!?" he yelled. "Cho—Chotto! What do you mean _'have_'?!"

"An exchange of sorts," Bokusenou answered simply. "Sesshoumaru-sama actually lent Rin his heart—"

"**_NANI_**?!" Jaken screamed.

**  
** **Could that green ghoul be any louder? Could his time be worse? He ruined the memory!**

"Yes. Sesshoumaru-sama unconsciously gave her his heart…,"

**  
** **He stared at the colourful plant for a few more seconds before he took a few steps toward the flowers. Just like her…**

"…blood…"

**Why was he feeling such insignificant things right now? Why was it that ever since Rin came into his life there were more reasons for his actions than he put forth? Why was it…that she was all that he thought of?**

** Did his chichi-ue feel the same when he set eyes on that woman, Izayoi? Did she plague chichi-ue as much as Rin did him?**

** Was it such a sin that he was falling in love with a human, what more falling in love at all?**

**  
** "…and practically his driving force." Bokusenou's bark face broke into a smile.

**A claw touched at one of the petals. Something within him warmed at the touch. What insignificant _feelings_. What was more was he could not fight them. He could not control them.**

** He wanted them.**

**  
** "If Rin were to at any time give her heart another, be it a lover or a friend or a brother…it would be detrimental to Sesshoumaru-sama."

At this point Jaken could only listen with his chin dropped to his chest and with eyes wide.

"At this moment right now Rin is in the human village, and there _is_ a human male pursuing her. There may be chance that…Rin has indeed begun to allow her heart to turn aside from Sesshoumaru-sama and to this human instead. If she entirely lends him her heart, it _will_ be deadly. On both of their parts."

"Inutaishou did this?!" Jaken asked.

"Yes. He wanted this or nothing else," Bokusenou answered. "And Sesshoumaru-sama does not know about this. This is less of a 'love' between the two, and more of a test on Sesshoumaru-sama's part. If he fails…well…Inutaishou revealed the results of failure."

"And not failing?" Jaken urged, leaning forward.

"Inutaishou never said. Of course there could also always be a chance that the one Sesshoumaru-sama gives his heart to, Rin in this case, is _not_ the one, and that she will only leading him to his destruction. Inutaishou did mention that as well…" the tree added.

**  
** **He wanted _her_. Badly.**

** And he would get her. He tightened his fist.**

"This is all?" Jaken asked.

"This explains everything from the beginning to the end," answered Bokusenou.

Jaken turned and left. With all that he heard he knew that he had to find Rin. He returned to the spot Ah'Un should have been in, but widened his eyes in shock. "_Uwa_! Ah'Un! Areh! Sesshoumaru-sama!" He scrambled around for metres to find Ah'Un and his lord. The sound of wind blasting above and beyond his position made him alert and his eyes went skyward. "Se—_Sesshou_maru-_sama_!" he yelled in shock with his eyes bulged from the sockets. Was he suddenly well?

-

** Night took over the pale blue sky. Bright dots, like the first few flakes of snow setting upon brown grass, illuminated the sky. A large, yellow figure flew through, tainting it with imperfection. The youkai gave a whinny as its lord stared at the scenery below.**

_"Rin-san," Shobi started, "I apologize for my actions earlier today…"_

_ Kaede stared at him and then at Rin. "What happened?" she asked._

_ "Nothing, Kaede-baba-sama," Shobi answered, keeping his eyes toward Rin. Rin blushed in return in confusion._

_ Rin stood and signaled to the two that she was going to go to rest now. She excused herself and rushed off._

**  
**** The taiyoukai had Ah'Un land many metres away from the village. He stepped off and stared at each of the lights in homes that dimmed. One was bound to be the one where Rin was. He knew where it was. Waiting for every flame to go out, he stalked forward furtively—there was no need to alert the villagers.**

** He moved about and found her scent. Flowers…, her scent was full of flowers and fresh, clean water. It was never hard to find her. His eyes thinned as he passed each place that had her scent: a flower stand, a bakery, a bath house.**

** He stared at the residence. He could hear her from his spot, breathing heavily, breathing so softly that he could hardly hear it, shuffling madly, moving like a delicate blade of grass in the wind. He took a step forward.**

**  
**_ Rin shuffled loudly once more before her eyes pulled open. She could feel a presence near her. It rattled her bones, welled her heart. Or maybe she was still dreaming. She sat up slowly, a hand on her eye as she rubbed it. Her white gown lit the dark room. She stared at the window…_

** He stared through the wood-framed window. ** **His eyes nearly softened when he saw her laying there, lighting the dark of the room. He stared at the girl that was once his ward. _His _ward and no one else's. Like staring at a drug, he could not pull his eyes away from her. _His _drug and no one else's. He no longer cared that she was like opium to him, that she had become an addiction. **

******  
**** He _wanted_ her to drug him, fulfill his want to taste her, constantly call to him, enrapture him like the drug she was.**

_ …and gave a yawn. She was too tired to walk up to it. She stretched before laying down once more, tightening herself into a warmer position. Moments later she was asleep again._

_ Her awful dreams led her to that horrid night. She shuffled uncomfortably, a hand twitching, as she moaned._

**His ear perked toward the window as he heard a softened moan. **

_Within seconds she was muttering and mumbling, still asleep and still shuffling around. Her discomposed figure played around in the darkness until she let out a loud scream, shrill._

** He only watched and waited. Would she scream his name as she did when she was young? grew older? was with him just months ago?**

******  
** Maybe would he let her come to him as he had done many times before.

******  
**** His eyes widened for a split second before they thinned in anger.**

_Shobi ran into the room and went to his haunches to reach Rin. "Rin-san!" He pulled her up by her arm and held her closely as she struggled against him. He soothed her by stroking her hair gently, cooing her with gentle words. She clung onto him as she cried._

_ "Shh, Rin…shh," he cooed._

** His glare thickened. His hand clenched tightly, his claws digging into his palms. Seconds later his hand flew to his chest in pain.**

** When the human was gone and Rin was once again alone, the pain left him. He silently questioned the feeling. He stood straight and stared at her for a short while. With an unconcerned _tsk_ he took a step back. He turned around and walked away. His hand uncurled.**

** The petals flew about lifelessly. This was not over.**

** The wind wailed and howled. The dark sky broke into tears and rumbles.**

-

zuan – Heh, it's actually spelled xuan.

A/N: Sheesh…I've premeditated the number of chapter approximately that this story should have. I think it'll end around chapter 11 or maybe 12 D: Aside from which, I think that this was my favourite chapter. I don't know why…but I really like the feel I gave in it ):o…review responses XD So many reviews XDXD I almost hit 30! And, uh, do to the fact that not most people write me reviews that are more than about 10-15 words, I will not answer all of my reviews from now on:

_Chisuto: _Heh heh…Shobi is an iffy character…now that you read this chapter, eh? Angst is goot for the soul. Hmm…yum…angst.

**anhimals:**Okay, okay, you win XDXD. Oh , Sessyou _needs_ Rin alright. Big time

_Tsume Yamagata: _Yes…well…beat up Sessyou is sexy. Sessyou is sexy all the time, but you know, at times we have to make so angsty or its just not right. Yes…manga is an obsession for me oO;;

**madamebee: **I know what you mean about Rin being stronger. So, she is now accepting the fact that Sessyou has left and now onto other men ;;;;

_Writing-Angel18: _Don't worry…things will…go for a little change.

**Babika: **Thank you. I try making my stories good for you readers.

_Hiryuko Ryugu: _What's Kaede-baba's village. The shobi/Rin stuff? Yeah! Of course! You really don't know what turn I'm taking? Hehehe :D Rest assured…it's not what you think… :D

**vegita-dias:**Cliffies are what makes the world go round, hun :P. You're too kind 3. Your review puff my head up xx

_Charmed18: _Hmm…I really don't want to take _that _kind of turn in my story, heh…oO.

**Cyhiraeth: **Dude! You went to my Devartpage!! I LURVIES YOU!! I think if our two blobs joined, we'd have the _greatest_ force in the world. Hmm…and that would be…hm…:D;;;AnywayI've been finding school to be the DEVIL!!

_Lima__ Squamosa: _Ha! Last chapter wasn't as long as this one, was it?! NUUUU!!!

**Lady Sanzennine: **Thank you! That was very informative! Thanks for giving me the tips. I do't think I did that in my chapter. If I did, you can smack me And, by the way, I really don't want you to think that I'm copying your story in anyway…but a lot of our writing is similar. Like…I noticed the opium part in your story and I was like, "wow…I wrote that such a long time ago but didn't finish the chapter so now someone will think I'm being cheap and I'm copying. XDXD."

_MizuCrystal: _Heh heh…it was wiff my magic power :D:D Dude…I'd LOVE to get a 1300 on my SAT… eats your brain and runs

**Youko-Kurama-Hiei-Jaganis: **Ah, a little bit never hurt :P Thanks! I try with their character. I think this Chapter was a lil' OOC, but I still liked it XDXD

And thanks also to **Dogiegurl26**, **Random** **Thoughts**, **Fireash**, **Yun** **Fei**, **Sesshoumaru** **girl**, **Kali** **Lestrange**, **Galandria** **the** **Vampire** **Queen**, **Zircon**, **Fuuga** **Kumi**, and **cotton**-**angel** I LOVE YOU ALL AND THANX FOR YOUR REVIEWS!!

Now…go read Cloud that Falls. I updated it a few weeks ago :D


	8. Chapter 7: Song of Jealousy

**A/N**: Finally…school is over and done. Today is my _third_ day off, and look at what I'm doing for you guys! Eh?? I'm writing fanfiction :D! Rightfully so should I be working on my real story (novel??) over the summer, but I think I'll do about five pages a day of it during the summer and pick up the pace during the year. Cuz…guess who has independent creative writing and is the only student taking it next year?? Hehe…Me ;-;. I'm so happeh that I can just cry…which I did when the teacher signed the papers. [sigh] I'm so very excited! Ah, thank you all for your reviews, I really enjoyed reading them! In such a case, I will say that you all made my head the size of my house when I read your reviews. But, I'll save that for _after_ the story. I wouldn't want you to wait much longer, eh? Hehe alright, enjoy! Sorry for not updating sooner! I would have updated yesterday, but a massive storm hit us (it was AWESOME) and the cable went out, so gomen for that.

–

**Silent Echoes**

**΅ **

**II **

_Fly, my little bird _

_Reach to a dreamland from here _

_And stay, little thing, _

_For soon your feathers shall fall _

_If you do not from me flee _

**II**

_Do you not see, bird? _

_For much as you adore me, _

_Or as much you seem, _

_I have set a trap 'pon you _

_From the start and 'til the end_

-

**  
**

**Chapter 7: _Song of Jealousy_**

**  
**

΅

**  
**

Only a few hours had passed and still his mind was set to the way his ward found comfort in some human. Nothing else drifted in his thoughts but that sight. Nothing else came to mind except Rin's not noticing him, not coming to him as he watched her sleep. The taiyoukai's head was turned downward, his eyes triangular with anger. His fingers were tightened into a fist. His face even was taut with anger. But his chest, under that toughened mound of flesh, held within it something crushed, hardly beating, tinted blue.

**  
**

Sesshoumaru cursed himself repeatedly as his slender fingers rose to his chest and rested there for quite some time. "Curse this beating youkai within me," he muttered. 'How treacherous it is to me…' he thought. He never wanted to set his pair of eyes on her again, never wanted to think of her again. Yet here he was, riding through the darkened forest on top of A'Un with only her name lighting his path. He felt morning approaching, the dark skies adulterated with the many colours of dawn.

**  
**

Low clouds fell upon the path, and the forest soon filled with a thick, grey miasma, giving the forest life what little nourishment it could. He was led through the dark mists blindly, but he knew to where the animal below him was going. Soon a scent came near him that startled him and made A'Un grunt. "A'Un. Faster." His pace soon picked up as he headed toward his tono. 'What is this?' he thought angrily.

**  
**

-

**  
**

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Jaken muttered as he moped his way through the forest. "How could you just leave me, Sesshoumaru-sama?!" Jaken cried as he turned his head skyward. "Abandoned me…" he muttered. "…Well…it does not matter anyhow…" Jaken's feet were set to Kaede's village, and nothing would stop him from getting there. He knew that he would arrive there soon, maybe within a day or two, but he did not know what he would find there. He was hoping to find Rin and bring her back to her lord, despite the fact that Sesshoumaru had left her there, but he could not be too sure of that.

**  
**

As much as the ghoul thought he hated Rin, he appreciated her for many things. And if Sesshoumaru-sama was in pain because Rin was not there, then he would bring her back. Of course, Jaken would not bring himself to admit that he actually missed Rin. "That brat…" he muttered, swiping a low branch. "She better come back with me."

**  
**

The green youkai had not had much time to himself to think about the turn of events that started almost two months ago. Those few months ago it turned fall. Now leaves had fallen, trees died, animals were in hiding; all was still and quiet. Even worse…things that happened normally for ten years that Jaken had become accustomed to had now come to a change as the seasons.

**  
**

Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. As much as he hated to admit it, he loved when Rin sang, and now she couldn't do that. Sesshoumaru-sama had become more benign, but after leaving Rin behind he returned to his cruel, stoic personality. Now _he_ was alone, something he had not been for over sixty years.

**  
**

"No matter what…" Jaken muttered, "No matter _what_, I will return Rin to Sesshoumaru-sama…And I will set straight the path that Inu papa has made."

**  
**

-

"Rin-san," Shobi started, beaming with a smile, "The children of the village would like to hear you make melody for them." He gave Rin's shoulder a gentle nudge as she ate her breakfast quietly.

**  
**

Rin set down her chopsticks and turned to him, giving him a quizzical stare, her eyebrows turned upward. 'Why would they want that from me?' she thought. "I prefer—" She stopped herself before she could finish the negative statement. Instead, she stared at him long enough for him to understand that she wanted to know why.

**  
**

"Hmm? Well…I heard of a gentle miko that once lived here, Kaede-baba's older sister, Kikyou-sama. All the children of that time loved her but mourned for her when she died. I am sure you have heard of Kikyou-sama…"

**  
**

Rin nodded quickly with a smile. 'The memory of Kikyou-sama saving me from that pitiful man, Suikotsu, when I was young will never leave me,' she thought. 'But who would believe me if I mentioned that? Heh…it is my own secret.' She smiled.

**  
**

"Yes, you see, for years now this village has been rather dull after Kikyou-sama's death. Sometimes we need a little life here." He shrugged. "Unless, of course, you do not know how to make melody, Rin-san. But Kaede-baba told me that you sing a lot. In fact, I think that I have heard about you one time or another…"

**  
**

"Hnh?" Rin muttered, urging him to continue.

**  
**

"Anyway…since I play the koto…I was wondering if before the sun sets we might gather the little ones and entertain them."

**  
**

Rin's eyes thinned as she smiled, her cheeks engulfing her face as her mouth widened excitedly. "Un!" she nodded.

**  
**

"Excellent!" Shobi said. He stood up and bent over a little. "Rin-san, you are such a sweet girl!" He smiled before he bent down further and nearly placed a soft and quick kiss on her cheek before pulling back quickly. Shyly turning away, he walked out of the room and stopped in the corridor.

**  
**

Rin stared at his walking form wide eyed, her fingers gently touching at the spot on her cheek that he nearly laid his soft lips on. She blushed madly before looking down, her hand turning to her chest as she gave a smile. 'What stopped you, Shobi…?' she thought as she bit on her lower lip to quell her wide smile.

**  
**

Shobi turned back to look at her quickly as he raised his eyebrows and then winked, turning around and walking off right after doing so. As he left the corridor, slapping his hand against the wooden frame, his eyes flashed with happiness as he gave a quick intake of air. He felt a sudden pang within the pit of his stomache and bent over to quell it, his eyes widening and the flesh on his cheeks shaking from his straining. "Agh…!" His eyes flashed quickly before he tightened them in pain. He gave a grunt as his body convulsed lower to the ground, dropping lightly onto the wooden floor and squirming with pain.

**  
**

Rin heard the strange sounds and stood up slowly, letting her chopsticks fall onto the table. Her body shook with fright when she heard his groan of pain before she took a few steps toward the corridor. 'Shobi…?' Her feet paddled against the wood floor as she slid to the corridor. She gasped and her eyes widened before she gave out a short scream. 'Shobi!' When finally she reached his prone, convulsing frame, she shook his shoulder while letting out sounds of dismay and worry.

**  
**

Shobi sat up and snarled dangerously at her, making her let out another scream before she covered her mouth with her hands, her eyebrows curving downward. His eyes were glowing…They blazed with fire, and after shutting her eyes Rin lifted a hand and swung an open palm at him. Her hand connected with the velvety skin of his cheek, hardening it and making it turn red. She opened her eyes and stared at him wide eyed, her hand now returned to her mouth.

**  
**

Shobi's hand lay against his cheek, his eyebrows turned inward in pain. "_Itaaaai_…" he moaned. "Rin-san, you hit _hard_!" He turned to her and saw her staring at him with uncertainty. "What is wrong?" he asked, waving a shaky hand in her direction. Rin pulled back from him. "What happened? Did I do something wrong?!"

**  
**

Rin nodded with a cocked eyebrow. 'His eyes were just red before…' she thought. 'And he acted as a wild animal. But now he is…normal again?' She pointed to him, shook her head, and the pointed to her head as she lifted her shoulders a bit.

**  
**

"No, no…" he muttered, looking down in question. "I do not remember a thing, if this is what you have asked me. I just remember walking out of the corridor, things went dark, and then _you_ _slapped_ me…"

**  
**

Rin lowered her eyebrows and looked away from him as her eyes switched from one direction to another. 'I see…he is strange. Mental maybe…' She gave a smile and shrugged her shoulders, waving her hand in dismissal before she stood up, fixing the wrinkles in her yukata. She patted his head affectionately before she giggled softly, and then made her hand as if to write something.

**  
**

"Ah, you are going to do some things with the sumi-e set?" Shobi asked as he looked up at her, standing up seconds later. After she gave a nod, he said, "I think I am starting to understand you now, Rin-san. I will return later and then we can go to the children, alright?"

**  
**

"Un!" She winked at him and then walked away.

**  
**

Shobi continued to stare at her with his head cocked, a smile upon his thin lips. 'Finally, she is opening up more…' he thought. 'Just weeks ago she hardly did anything.' He paused and his eyes flickered again. With a deep blink, he opened his eyes and stared downward for a few seconds in confusion. After shrugging his shoulders, he walked off.

**  
**

Kaede cocked her eyebrow as she stared with her sole eye through the crack of the shoji. After pulling away, she clucked her tongue and shook her head, her hands finding each other behind her back. "Shobi…" she muttered. "What has happened to you?"

**  
**

She bit on her lower lip and squinted as he walked past the room. Her eyes widened seconds later. "It cannot be…!"

**  
**

-

The taiyoukai finally arrived in familiar forests. As he looked up, he could see the top of his dwelling in all of its glory. He looked forward and thinned his eyes, glaring at his intruder. Pushing low vines and branches from before him, he gave A'Un a nudge to urge the animal to go faster. When finally the forest cleared and A'Un stopped, he gracefully stepped off his back and stood straight, unsheathing one of his swords.

**  
**

The lithe, short woman turned around from facing the tono and instead stared at him, giving a tipsy smile seconds later. "Yoh," she said with a wave of her hand. Her silk kimono was nearly drenched, clasping against her skin.

**  
**

A snarl rumbled under his throat wildly before he spoke. "What are you doing here, Kagura?" He took a step closer to her.

**  
**

Kagura looked at him almost—_almost­­_—innocently, tapping her fan against her chin. "Sesshoumaru, I thought you would be more than pleased to see an old acquaintance," she said with mock sadness, pouting her lip as she rested most of her weight on one side, resting a hand on her hip.

**  
**

"Hardly," he muttered. "What are you doing here?" he repeated sternly, the sword in his hand twisting slightly.

**  
**

Kagura shrugged and looked away. "I just came by to see you is all," she muttered. She looked anywhere but at him and then looked down at her nails. "I mean, I haven't seen you and the brat—"

**  
**

"Rin," he instantly interposed.

**  
**

"Yeah, Rin," she grunted, rocking on her leg. "I haven't seen you guys since after the battle with the Naraku bastard." Her face contorted in disgust.

**  
**

"Hnh…" He sheathed his sword when he realized that she was no potential threat now. He had forgotten that right after the battle with Naraku Kagura had disappeared, covered in blood and carrying something in her hand before Kouga had a chance to kill her. No one knew to where she went or why she even left. As badly wounded as she was, they all thought that she had gone off to die without the shame of others seeing her.

**  
**

"You all probably wonder where I ran off to," she muttered, tapping her fan against her chest. She finally looked at him after a while of awkward silence, her mouth set in a glower. "Well…? Are you going to invite me in or not?" she questioned angrily, her bangs shaking toward him, damp with the dew of the thick mist.

**  
**

"A'Un, go rest," Sesshoumaru ordered. After the monster stalked off, Sesshoumaru turned back to Kagura and walked toward her very slowly. He stopped in front of her and stood over her, staring at her quietly with a cocked eyebrow and a scrutinizing look.

**  
**

Kagura took a step back and opened her fan in front of her defensively. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Why are you looking at me like that…?" She was ready to push him away, a hand opened and extended toward him.

**  
**

"Hnh…" he snorted. "You smell different. Of filthy humans…"

**  
**

"Oh spare me," she said as she rolled her eyes before she rested her hand on her hip again, closing her fan. "Ten years do a lot of things to a person, alright?"

**  
**

"You have lived in a village full of humans…?" he asked. His question came out as a statement though, because he knew that this was the situation.

**  
**

"Just invite me in, Sesshoumaru," she muttered, taking a step away from him. She watched as he walked past her, snuffing angrily as her eyebrows turned inward, red eyes flashing. "Feh, I would think that a _lord_ would know better than to brush someone off, especially a woman. Some manners…"

**  
**

"Not when it applies to you, Kagura," he replied.

**  
**

With her lips slanted in a frown, she followed him as he walked into the tono, closing the door behind her and gasping as soon as she entered. "…Wow…" she muttered. "You have quite a place here…"

**  
**

"Hnh…"

**  
**

She looked around shortly before she noticed that something felt amiss. "Sesshoumaru…?" Kagura started, catching up to him. He glared at her when she stood at his side, and she knew why. Rolling her eyes, she took a few steps back so that she was not walking at the same level as he.

**  
**

"What is it?" he asked.

**  
**

"…Where's the brat—Rin?" Kagura asked when she noticed that there was no one to greet the Lord or follow him either. "…And that Jaken for that matter?"

**  
**

"Gone," he answered.

**  
**

"…Ooh…" She paused. "…Why?"

**  
**

"Stay here," he said as he stopped and faced her.

**  
**

"…Alright," she muttered. "Whatever…avoiding my question." She rested her back against the wall and opened her fan. Making a little puff wind stir up after he turned a corner, she beat it into a minute tornado, twisting her thin and long fingers around and letting it follow her movements. She stopped after a short while and looked around shortly, red eyes roving about the mahogany walls in curiosity. Her eyes finally rested on a picture down the corridor and she stared at it in wonder. Her eyebrows curved inward before she pushed herself from the wall to get a closer look at it.

**  
**

She looked into the corridor around the corner to check for Sesshoumaru. When she thought it safe she lifted her feet from above the ground and glided down the hallway without so much as a ruffle of her clothing making noise. When finally she reached the large picture she stared at it in amazement. It was a simple red bird—almost like a phoenix with its blaring orange, red, and yellow—perched on a branch with flowers surrounding it, its feathers ruffled by the wind.

**  
**

At closer look, Kagura widened her eyes when she saw _her_ fan faded into the background, wind flowing from it. "…Hmm…" she muttered. She opened her own fan and stared at it before staring at the picture again. "Exact rendition of mine…"

**  
**

"Kagura."

**  
**

"Uwa!" Kagura spun around, her fan lifted up to her face and her red eyes widened. "Don't sneak up on me like that! What's your problem?!"

**  
**

"This Sesshoumaru implicitly said to stay over there." His head kicked in the direction she was supposed to be in.

**  
**

"I know—by the way, stop talking in first person, it makes you sound like a child—but this picture caught my attention. That's _my_ fan!" She pointed to the picture.

**  
**

He ignored her statement. "That is known."

**  
**

"Meaning that this picture was made no earlier than ten years ago!"

**  
**

"Yes."

**  
**

"And who made it?"

**  
**

"Rin."

**  
**

"When?"

**  
**

"Two years past."

**  
**

"Ah…I see…" Kagura muttered, closing her fan and tapping it against her chin. "Is she my size now, by any chance?" Kagura asked.

**  
**

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a while, wondering what she was getting at. "Yes."

**  
**

"Hmm…can I borrow some of her clothing? I'm sort of wet here." Kagura held some of the silk cloth of her kimono up at him.

**  
**

"To your left down the corridor," he said simply.

**  
**

"Thanks…" she muttered, walking away. "Don't you have any servants here?" she asked.

**  
**

"No." Sesshoumaru stared at her as she walked away.

**  
**

"Then who does the cooking and cleaning?"

**  
**

"Rin."

**  
**

"Hnh…poor girl. She seems to do everything around here." Kagura rolled her eyes and turned to him. "When will she return? I haven't seen her since she was yé high." She moved her hand to her hip. She cocked her eyebrow when the question went unanswered.

**  
**

Instead, Sesshoumaru stared at her strangely, his eyes sullied and directed past her. "Hnh…You ask too many questions, Kagura." He snorted and turned away from Kagura, flicking his hair from his shoulder behind him and wordlessly walking off.

**  
**

"Tch…talk about moody…" she muttered. She walked to the room on her left and slid the shoji open, pushing her eyebrows upward. "…Rather clean…and neat." The room was full of pictures, and she took her time to look at every last one.

**  
**

-

Rin heard a scratching sound against the shoji and her ear instantly perked up as she turned to the door from her ink painting. She let down the brush and quirked an eyebrow before she bent over to stand. 'What is this? Is Shobi playing a joke with me?' She stealthily walked to the shoji, remembering how Sesshoumaru-sama had at one time taught her such movement, and, after hearing the scratching sound once more she opened the shoji and stared at nothing.

**  
**

She turned her eyebrows inward before she put a hand on her chin. "Hnnh…" she mumbled. Her hand then rest on her forehead in a pensive manner as she squinted. "_Hnnnh_…" She looked down quickly and her eyes widened. She bent down and picked up the box labeled with her name before she opened it to see its contents. 'Oh wow! This is beautiful!' She pulled out the kimono, letting the box fall to the floor as she held up the beautiful kimono at an arms' length to get a better view. 'Oh wow!' She looked at either side of her to see if anyone watched but saw no one.

**  
**

After shrugging, Rin kicked the box into her room and then cradled the kimono. She set the kimono down and returned to her ink painting. She gave an angered sigh, peeved with the painting. 'How can I get you _out_ of my mind if I see you everywhere?!' she thought to the painting. She stared at the eyes grey, which resembled perfectly the eyes of her once dear Sesshoumaru-sama.

**  
**

Everything of it looked exactly like the youkai. The bangs of his hair—she felt as if she could touch the strands and actually feel her lord's silky tresses. The features of his face looked real enough to touch, real enough for her to place her fingers on. Even that look of contempt that played on his features seemed genuine enough, and she could only imagine him staring at Jaken with that look. The lips were curved into the frown she deeply adored. Her peachy fingers lowered to the picture and softly touched at the dry area of his lips, making her breath haggardly.

**  
**

A salty drop upon the paper distorted his perfect nose, and then another drop his scowl. She stared at the picture with saddened eyes before she wiped her warm and wet cheeks. As quickly as the tears had come they disappeared and dried on her skin. Her eyebrows turned inward and her nose creased in anger before her upper lip turned into a scowl. Her hand fisted over the picture before she grabbed the ink-stone filled with drying ink, taking the brush with her other hand after dipping it in the water.

**  
**

She unhanded the brush seconds later as she stared at the picture with her head tilted slightly to the side. Minutes passed without her moving at all, yet her mind flashed quickly.

**  
**

'No…, _he_ left me without any reason. And all that I have done lately is wept. No more!' She splashed water and ink on the picture, distorting everything. Angrily she swiped her fingertips over the ink and water, washing it into the paper until the form of Sesshoumaru was no more than a past memory, until he was all covered in black. 'Just like his heart…' she thought. 'Black just as his evil, _cruel_ heart…!'

**  
**

"Rin-san!" Shobi's voice came from the window.

**  
**

Rin turned to the window and scrambled up, sticking her head outside. "Hnh?" She stared at Shobi with a cocked eyebrow, finding it strange that he was dressed so elegantly with his koto over his shoulder.

**  
**

"Did you receive your gift?" he asked as he smiled toward her.

**  
**

"Un!" Rin responded with a nod, smiling softly.

**  
**

"Do you…like it?" he asked hesitantly.

**  
**

"_Un_!" she nodded again. Somehow the motions of her ink-covered hands conveyed to him that she found the kimono beautiful.

**  
**

Shobi simply smiled shyly before pointing to his koto. "Well, Rin-san, it is nearly time to leave. I have already gathered the children up; they are waiting for _you_ now." He winked at her.

**  
**

Rin smiled and pulled in from the window, waving a hand at him. She stopped as she turned around and stared at the large blackened paper. Something within her melted sadly at the sight of the obsidian marks. She bent down and picked up the wrinkled paper, staring at it for a long while. 'Gomen nasai…' she thought. 'Kami-sama, what have I done…?' After crumpling the picture into a small ball, she threw it in the waste basket and cleaned up the things from the floor, wrapping the sumi-e set and setting it aside. After cleaning her hands, she set herself to get ready.

**  
**

It took her a while to get the obi of the kimono on, at which point she ran to Kaede and requested her help. She stepped out of the dojo a while later with her sumi-e set with her clasped tightly to her chest, blushing madly from Kaede's endless praising of her youthful beauty. She looked around bashfully until she finally saw Shobi with his back turned to the dojo. Her cheeks flushed deeply and she looked down timidly, hiding her smile as young men whistled her way and stopped to stare at her.

**  
**

Shobi turned around to look at her, absentmindedly hitting one of the distracted men with his koto as his jaw dropped. Rin smiled and waved over at him before she walked down the steps, walking to him while pushing loose locks of hair behind her ear as she stared at her feet, occasionally looking up at one of the men and then looking back down.

**  
**

"She is undoubtedly attractive, Shobi. Please tell me how someone like _you_ could have ended up wooing a treasure like _her,_" whispered one of his friends as he stopped pushing the barrel and stared at Rin.

**  
**

Shobi stared at Rin with childish eyes without answering to his friend, shooing away other young men that stopped to stare at her and nudge him with dirty smirks. "Eh…?"

**  
**

Indeed the simple kimono was more beautiful on her than Shobi had imagined it would have been, shining with a copper luster, gold-copper amaryllises splashed about and wrapping around the sleeves, legs, and chest of the kimono, a single vine of silver irises wrapping around the obi.

**  
**

"Rin-san…you look wonderful in this kimono…!" he mumbled when finally she reached him. Rin walked up to him and smiled, allowing him a closer look as she poked a playful tongue at him. "Shall we go to the children?" he asked.

**  
**

"Un," she said, looking down as she followed him, picking up the bottom of her kimono to keep it from getting dirty and nodding respectfully at older ones as she passed them despite their whispering and contemptible glares. Soon they reached a small dojo and she walked in as Shobi ushered her with an extended hand.

**  
**

Getting in front of her again as soon as he closed the shoji, Shobi peaked into the large room filled young ones chattering and playing around. "Children, Rin-san is here!" he said as he ambled in proudly and with airs, playing random notes on the koto before he sat down so as to grab the children's attention and entertain them little.

**  
**

The children expressed their happiness at the announced words, throwing up their hands and beating their little feet at the floor. All stared in awe with mouths agape at the beautiful Rin as she walked into the room, watching as she sat next to Shobi, placing her sumi-e set onto the floor. "Wow! Rin-san is so beautiful!" the children murmured in wonderment.

**  
**

Rin blushed at their statement, shifting ever nearer to Shobi where he sat to get comfortable. "And ever as beautiful is her voice, I hear," Shobi interjected with a voice that excited the children, raising his eyebrows expressively to further their desire to hear her sing. He looked over at her and smiled when she nudged him with her elbow playfully, giving a wink. He tuned the koto and then started playing after hushing the children.

**  
**

The small children listened attentively as he started an unfamiliar tune. They then turned to Rin as she wavered with the motion of the music after a while. As soon as she became acquainted with the rhythm, she hummed softly. Not before long did she begin to make breathtaking melody, one that would distract any youkai in a battle with Sesshoumaru, one that would quell and subdue the fast beating heart of any wild and untamed animal, one that would have unknowingly composed her lord to rest and ease on an unbearable summer night or warmed him during the bitter winter.

**  
**

She made a melody that would have filled her lord with jealousy if he were to hear it being sung to none other than him.

**  
**

-

Kagura stepped into the corridor as she shuffled uncomfortably in the yukata. She mumbled angrily as she pulled against the tight creases. "Same size…pah…!" She grumbled as she walked to the end of the hall. "Rin's definitely smaller than I am. That Sesshoumaru—ooh—he's such an _average_ man. Just wait until I get my fan out on him—I'll—"

**  
**

"Do what?" Sesshoumaru interjected behind her.

**  
**

Kagura jumped up, clasping a hand against her chest before she screamed. "What is _with_ you and sneaking up on people?!" she yelled in exasperation as she leaned into the wall at her side.

**  
**

Sesshoumaru stared at her in Rin's yukata, finding the unfitness almost humourous enough to laugh at. "Hnh."

**  
**

"I'm hungry…" Kagura moaned. "Where's the cooking room? I might as well make myself at home. I'm going to be here until tomorrow anyway."

**  
**

"Why are you here, Kagura?" Sesshoumaru asked in irritation as he stared at her with a sideways glance, standing a way off from her.

**  
**

"Just as you always do, Sesshoumaru, I have my own reasons," Kagura reasoned. She shrugged and then mumbled, "Besides, life gets boring when all I'm surrounded with are humans. Are you hungry?"

**  
**

"No." He turned away but stopped when she spoke up.

**  
**

"You won't even have a little to eat…?" she questioned.

**  
**

"No." He turned to her.

**  
**

"Are you sure?"

**  
**

"No." He turned away.

**  
**

"…Hnh…Sesshoumaru, something is distracting you," she muttered as she sauntered up to him clumsily in the tight dress, raising her fan to her lips to seem more elegant than she was at the moment.

**  
**

Sesshoumaru stared at her, thinned his eyes, and turned away, flicking his hair over his shoulder again. He ignored her statement and started to walk away. "Hnh…"

**  
**

"There you go again, Sesshoumaru, leaving right when there's something I _really_ want to know. Feh, you've weakened over the years—" A claw met at her neck and she glared at him as he lifted her from above the ground. "…A little touchy, are we?"

**  
**

"Kagura, you are dancing near a rocky edge."

**  
**

"Dancing is my specialty, Sesshoumaru, and you know that," she answered with a smirk, lifting her hands to his and clasping them around his claw. She breathed in deeply. "Let me go, would you?"

**  
**

Sesshoumaru glared at her before grunting angrily. "You have changed," he stated. Something within her was different, and he had felt that since he set eyes upon her.

**  
**

"And? Ugh!" She finally dropped her hands and crossed them over her chest as she rolled her eyes.

**  
**

"How?"

**  
**

"…Fine, fine, I'll tell you," she muttered. "But I have you know that I'm not very comfortable like this—"

**  
**

"Accustom yourself to it for now," Sesshoumaru snarled.

**  
**

She sighed. "I have my heart now, alright? _Now_ can you set me down?" His claws tightened around her neck, cutting her flow of air and making her head fill with blood and heat. "Ow! Let go, would you?!"

**  
**

"How has this come to be?" The taiyoukai thinned his eyes at her before they widened, a twinge of pain spreading within him. His hand loosened from her neck and he placed it at his chest as he bent over. Within his torso he felt an agonizing jolt which spread throughout his body as if electrocuting him. If with another arm he would have placed his hand against the ground for support, but without one he simply bent over.

**  
**

Kagura fell down but landed so that she would hurt herself. The tear that came from the yukata made her widen her eyes before she turned to Sesshoumaru. "…Hey…, are you all right…?" she questioned unsurely. He did not give her an answer, only a grunt. "Something's wrong." She nearly placed her hand on his shoulder before she bit back a yelp of surprise, pulling back when he snarled at her and clawed her hand away.

**  
**

"Leave, Kagura," he ordered breathily, quelling another groan of pain and thus showing his weakness to Kagura.

**  
**

"…I think it wise that I do so…" she muttered. "I'll just get my kimono and leave through Rin's window." She did just so, watching him in worry as she walked into Rin's room and shut the shoji. "Kami-sama, what is up with him?!" she questioned quietly. "And was it me or has his youki lowered…?" Kagura peeked through the crack and stared at him as he struggled to stand erect. Finally she opened the shoji and walked out again and stopped by him.

**  
**

"Leave…!" he yelled at her when he felt her presence near.

**  
**

Kagura bent in front of him, snapping her fan open and tapping it against her bottom lip. "Hnh…Don't think so."

**  
**

He growled angrily at her, crimson eyes staring at her aggressively. His sharpened claws swiped at her and she instantly jumped back with widened eyes. She stood straight and took a step back, deeply thinking of what to do. She inwardly cursed when she came to a final conclusion.

**  
**

"…I really hate to do this to you, Sesshoumaru," she muttered. "But with your youki this low you don't seem yourself. I want answers." She held her fan in front of her and flicked her wrist simply, strong winds pouring from it and onto Sesshoumaru. She closed her fan seconds later so as to cause little damage, staring at him with wide eyes as he lay motionless and strangely vulnerable on the ground.

**  
**

-

Jaken finally arrived at the village, mumbling under his breath angrily. Not wanting to be seen, he stealthily hid behind bushes as the sky changed colours, swathing itself with a blanket darkness. The moon looked down at him as clouds began to cover it, its silver light shining a direct path for him. He waited quietly until it was fairly dark outside, having become bored with the time on his hands. "…Sesshoumaru-sama better be thankful that I'm doing something for him like this."

**  
**

His eyes widened when he saw a fair young woman leaving a small dojo with many children trailing in front of and around her with wide smiles and joyous laughter, a small portion of paper no bigger than himself held in each one of their hands as they tugged plaintively against her kimono.**  
**

"_Uwa_!! _Ri_—Rin…!" Jaken caught himself before he yelled to loud, whispering her name. He stared at her wide eyed as she smiled at the children and then at a young man at her side. His eyes widened at the way he stared at her and he bit back a scream of objection. "Rin is Sesshoumaru-sama's alone…!" he muttered angrily, fisting one of his little hands.

**  
**

**  
**

"Why didn't Rin-san sing _songs_ to us?" Some children questioned sadly.

**  
**

"Oh, Rin-san, please make another picture for me?"

**  
**

"And for me, too?"

**  
**

"Please??"

**  
**

The children importuned Rin as the all gathered around her and surrounded her, making her pull her arms to her chest defensively as she laughed weakly.

Jaken simply stared for a while and then widened his eyes further and let out a sound of objection when the young man standing next to Rin spoke up.

"Rin-san cannot speak much, children," Shobi answered for Rin. "It is very rude for you to ask so much of Rin-san when she gave you so much of her time, you all know that." The children were quiet, looking down shamefully. "Now apologi—"

Rin elbowed him and gave him a glare, shaking her head at him. She then turned to the children and smiled before she bent onto her haunches, placing her set in Shobi's free hand. She gave a wink to the children before patting each of their heads. She then stood up and lifted her shoulders before taking her set from Shobi. She let out a sound of joy.

"…Thank Rin-san now," Shobi said.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Rin-san!" they all chimed together.

After Shobi sent the children off, Rin watched with a smile, laughing quietly as they went their separate ways into their dojos, comparing their pictures to see whose was better than who else's.

Jaken widened his eyes with a gasp when the two began to walk faced each other, talking _to each other _with what seemed to be casualty.

Shobi nudged Rin with his elbow as she turned away, making her turn back to him. "Did you enjoy yourself, Rin-san?" he asked.

She looked down and blushed softly, giving a nod. "Un," she muttered softly.

"You needn't be so shy, Rin-san," he said as he bent forward a little, his face near hers as he raised his eyebrows at her, his hands finding each at his back, the koto now resting against his leg.

Rin blushed slightly and looked away before turning her eyes to him. Her eyes suddenly sullied and her blush escaped from her face as she stared at him with sadness. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"What is wrong, hmm?" he asked as his eyes turned upward in worry. A warm hand slowly moved from behind him and touched at the side of her face tenderly. "What has made you so sad?"

"_Uwa_!!" Jaken muffled as he stared at the two. "_Rin!_ Their so _familiar_ with each other!"

"Jaken-sama—"

"Nngh!" Jaken stifled a scream as he quickly turned around, clasping a hand against his chest. "You…!" he muttered. "Do not try to kill me, o-baba!"

"Are you watching Rin and Shobi?" Kaede whispered as she wrapped her hands together behind her back.

"Disgustingly so," he answered.

"Yes…, I have been watching them closely myself," Kaede admitted. "Shobi especially…"

Jaken looked up at her with a quirked eye ridge. "Explain," he ordered.

"…Now is not the time," she muttered. "Just watch them."

Jaken did as told, occasionally muttering in objection and holding back the force to attack Shobi and get Rin.

Rin pulled away from Shobi and sniffled, pushing his hand away slightly. Thunder suddenly rolled above them and both looked up at the sky as it lit up. Rin looked back down at him as a drop of rain fell upon the ground. "…It is your lord, Sesshoumaru-sama; am I right?" Shobi finally asked.

Rin gave a slow nod, biting her lower lip to hold back her tears. 'I miss him all over again…' she thought. 'After singing as I did tonight…I dearly miss him.' She looked down in guilt, thinking of her rash actions just hours before when she was in her room with the watercolour of Sesshoumaru. 'How…_stupid_ of me…! Rin no _baka…_'

"…I see," Shobi muttered. Another clap of thunder startled the both of them, making Rin openly wince as she hovered closer to him. The rain poured down suddenly, making the both of them hunch over slightly. Shobi quickly grabbed her hand and pulled on it until she ran with him to their dojo.

Jaken muttered sourly as he stood in the pouring rain. "I cannot believe this…" he muttered, thoroughly drenched.

Kaede held her umbrella above her head as she looked down at Jaken. "Stay here, Jaken-sama, for the night. Do not move. Tomorrow morning I will return to this place and bring you to the dojo. Rin and Shobi may be gone by the afternoon—"

"And just _where_ are they going?!" Jaken screamed.

Kaede shrugged. "Shobi mentioned something to me earlier today about the small spring a way off in the forest. Tomorrow he plans on bringing Rin there."

"And why must I stay _here_?!" Jaken asked as he pointed to his present spot.

"Just do as you are told, Jaken-sama. I have something important to tell you, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. The two will expect me to be at the dojo tonight and will not take lightly my disappearance."

Jaken eyed the old woman warily. "Fine. Leave." He turned his back to her and crossed his arms over, suffering under the endless pellets of rain. "How do I always end up in the middle of things?" he brooded regrettably. "And of course no one will thank me…"

- Shobi allowed Rin to enter the dojo, slipping his sandals off and shaking the water out of his hair in a dog-like fashion. Rin dropped her sumi-e set at the entrance. "It is _awful_ out there!" he said as he turned to Rin, only to find that she was making her quick get away. "Rin-san…!" he said softly, going after her. He grabbed her wrist softly.

Rin turned around and faced him, her eyes red with wetness, speaking untold words to him. She quietly begged him to let her go, pulling at his hand as she puckered her eyebrows. "Uun!" she muttered in frustration, pulling away from him as she covered her eyes.

"Rin-san, put your past behind you…!" Shobi murmured gently, grabbing her wrist again and shaking her arm. "He will not return to you; do not blind yourself to the truth!"

Rin quickly pulled away from him and shut her eyes as her hand swung in the air, connecting painfully to his cheek. 'Don't you _dare _say that!' she thought angrily. After contact, she pulled away from and gasped, taking an unsure step back.

Shobi took a step toward her, cracking his neck from side to side with his eyes closed. "You obviously do not understand, Rin," he growled, his eyes flashing open.

Rin screamed loudly as her heart leapt into her throat, taking a step back into the wall. Her hand flew to her mouth in horror as he stared at her with glowing eyes.

"_I _do not _want_ him to come here, do you understand? _I _am _not_ the one who left you behind! _I _am the one who cares for you!" With each statement he took a step closer to Rin, and in return Rin only cowered back. His hand extended to her and grabbed at her hair painfully. "Do you understand?" he snarled.

Rin's eyebrows turned downward before she shut her eyes and once again slapped him, putting every ounce of her strength into the move. She gave a yelp when he let her go and grabbed at the side of his face with an angered sneer.

"_Itaaai_…!" he muttered as he hunched over, cradling his sore cheek. He looked up and saw Rin backed onto the wall with her hand grasping tightly at it, the other hand hanging loosely near her chest as she breathed deeply. His eyebrows rose. "…Rin-san?" he asked, taking a step toward her and stepping back in shock when she cowered further from him. "Have I hurt you?!" he questioned in panic.

Rin stared at him with a troubled expression. 'He has a double mind…!' she concluded. 'He must because Shobi is too gentle to attack me!'

"Shobi," Kaede's voice boomed over the thundering and pattering rain. Both he and Rin turned to Kaede with shocked expressions. She kicked her head softly. "Go to your quarter for the night."

"Hai, Kaede-obasama," he muttered, ducking his head in near shame.

Kaede stared at him as he walked past her, squinting at him as he entered his room. "…Hmm…" she mumbled. 'Yes…, just as I thought…' She turned to Rin. "Go ready yourself for sleep, Rin."

Rin gave a nod and went to her room.

"I might fear the worst yet to come…" Kaede softly muttered in the dank, dimmed hall.

–

A/N: Puu! Puu! [is spitting at chapter] Wow, yeah…this chapter sucked a lot x.x But finally we reach the tippy top of things. I know you all probably hate me for throwing Kagura into the mix of things, but I didn't feel like putting Kikyou (who _knows_ what will happen to her) or the rest of the gang into the fold of things. But as for Kagura, we all know that she randomly shows up to 'talk' to Sesshoumaru (we know your secret, fangirl Kagura :D!!) Well…now…as you noticed, this chapter was rather _long_. Yes…there's a reason…the longer the chapters the less I'll have to write…COMPENSATION, MY FRIEND. In other words…don't look for more than 11 chapters, because I doubt this story will go that far. Unless I feel like extending things, which I really don't want to do being that the deadline for this story _is_ in a little over a month. Wassat mean?! FASTER UPDATES! YAH!! Oi…when you review…you're gonna recommend my story, right???!!!. . [has faith in you all] Anyway…onto the review responses:

Cattico: Hmm…I'm afraid that I can't answer that question :D. But if you think about it, how can Shobi be that youkai if Sesshoumaru killed him? It really wouldn't make any sense for him to _suddenly_ sprout back. Besides, Shobi is Kaede's apprentice, I really think she has more sense than that. There are so many things that don't really point to Shobi being that youkai. But good, _good_ idea!

_Meganium Girl_: Why thank you :D! To answer your question, if you remember correctly I mentioned in the first chapter of the story that those characters 'mysteriously disappeared' after the battle. So that answers your question.

Tsume Yamagata: Emotionally involved? :D Yes, I agree that I am glad of these results instead of my original copy XD What's up with Shobi? Hmm…you read a little bit of it in this chapter, no? You'll see by (hopefully) the next chapter.

_yamitamashii: _Aww, that's okay about not reviewing! You still don't know why Rin can't talk?! It's in the first chapter! THE YOUKAI PUT A SPELL ON RIN! And yes…I _want_ to confuse people about Shobi. Personally I like him :D! I think he's cute :3 And yes, that means see you later.

North Star2: Really, you know who he is? Hmm…I thought Shobi was just plain old Shobi :D Heh, I don't think Takahashi-sama would consider my stupid tensuseiga story ):o. It has so many loop holes in it XD But thank you anyway!

_DRAKE220_: Hmm…I dun' know what's wrong with him either. He definitely has problems. But you have to remember that it's sort of hard to break out of ones…er…inability to…hmm…show feelings (?????) Oi, oi! Shobi doesn't have evil intentions! HE's so cute ;-;

Lil-Rinny: Aww, thank you! You're so sweet. But I'm practically allergic to chocolate =.=. It makes me nauseous even just smelling XD But I'll gladly take Sessyou XDXD

_vegita-dias: _Yeah, I'm sort of glad he's come to his senses as well :P. Although he could have earlier. I just didn't want to write it like that—people would be able to see too easily into the fic.

aku-neko: Why did Shobi smirk? Hmm…I can't tell you that XD

_Cyhiraeth:_ Well…you don't like Shobi? [cries] I like him…:D. But that's just me as the author :P

Rokettoko: I especially loved your review! You liked my bio thing? Or wanted to review about it?? I should rewrite it oO;;;. I wrote a bit that when I was at my absolute low. XD. I love those kinds of stories that you can read over and over, or those movies you can watch over and over XD. Sort of like…_Edward Scissorhands_ and _Finding Nemo_ ;;

_Writing-Angel18_: [dances cuz you reviewed] Don't worry, I think Sessyou will come sooner or later :D! And as for Shobi…Why would he just hurt Shobi…? He really doesn't have any reason to. Let's just say that he's a little jealous.

And thanks also to Galandria the Vampire Queen, _destiney 1_, Charmed 18, _fireash,_special thanks toChoco-coco, _Lynn Minmay, Tincker Bell, FortySeventhNight_, Kathryn-Colby, _Year of Resurrection Kitty, _Zircon, special thanks to _MIZU CRYSTAL_!__

YOU ALL ROXXORZ MAI SOXXORZ! REVIEW SOME MORE! You'll…recommend mai story, right?? 3!! You know you wanna. Those of you waiting for my next update for _Clouds that Fall_ it will be updated by either today or tomorrow (though my aunt from Florida is coming over and we need to give the house a massive makeover :P!) ALrighty, until the next update, which should be soon!


	9. Chapter 8: Lusting for the Wind

**A/N**: Ha! This is the fastest update I've made in months! Well, I would have also made an update at the beginning of August, and just might (but I'm not too sure)**. **I'll be leaving to a trip to the Caribbean Islands by the 26th. I'm off to Guadaloupe! For ten days. Well anyway, a flash of ideas came to me for this story, and I am so glad that the deadline was pushed up :D But not to leave you hanging any longer, I hope that you enjoy this chapter, which is not as long as it looks [kills quick edit .;].

–

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**Silent Echoes**

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****

****

΅

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III

Fair, beauteous swan

Your feathers of pearly white

Shall soon be tainted

With the black of my dark soul

Yet swim you shall in your pond

**  
**

**  
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IV

O! Fair, cursèd swan

Dance to the song of your death

Waltz to your demise

Sing your final song of joy,

For today you meet an end

-

**Chapter 8: **_**Lusting for the Wind**_

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΅

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Crimson eyes passed upon the pale, prone taiyoukai on the futon, soft and gentle with concern. Blood coloured fingernails tapped repeatedly on full, pale cheeks, and the black, onyx bangs slumped against her wrinkled forehead. She crumpled her nose for a quick passing of seconds, sighing in boredom. The sound of thunderous rain beating against the rooftop was more than enough to put her into a deep slumber, yet here she was, having sat in this very zabuton for hours watching over the youkai.

**  
**

**  
**

Her eyes lazily turned to the hot food near the fire in dejection before she swiftly returned her gaze to Sesshoumaru when he made a slight move. She picked her head up in slight excitement, her lips quirking into a smirk before she gave a growl of aggravation. 'Is he planning on resting for the rest of his life?!' she thought angrily. 'Here I have _generously_ made him food and all he could do is sleep!' She bent forward and stood up quickly, opening her fan and giving herself cool air in relief from the hot fire. She reached behind her bun and quickly pulled out a pin, letting her—now long—black hair wash her back.

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Aside from her thoughts, Kagura _still _found it quite unbelievable that she had been able to single-handedly take out Sesshoumaru. It meant something, and she was aching to find out. 'Maybe he's in his prime of weakness,' thought Kagura. 'It happens to every youkai at one time or another.' Her mind instantly turned to other thoughts when her eyes fell on another painting on the wall. "…Just…where is that Rin girl?" she asked aloud. She turned to Sesshoumaru once again when he stirred and ambled up to the futon.

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She dropped quietly onto the zabuton after dragging it near the head of the futon and leaned over Sesshoumaru to grab the cool and damp embroidered handkerchief. Folding it, she lightly moved his silver, silk bangs from his forehead, a finger absentmindedly tracing over the moon marking and causing her to shiver from the light hint of down fur on his face, and placed the kerchief there. She patted his bare chest and sat back. "Hang in there, Sesshoumaru," she muttered in little more than a whisper or howl of the wind. Her lips lowered from a grin into a frown.

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Sesshoumaru seemed to be drained of all kenshou [spirit] at the moment to Kagura, more pallor than usual and seemingly in pain. His usually emotionless face was covered with hurt, and, if she could, Kagura would do anything to make him well. He looked like the dead she used to manipulate: lifeless, wishing only to return to the ground to peacefully slumber, thriving only to fulfill an unwanted purpose. "Sesshoumaru…you seem to be thriving off of yoryoku [spare energy]…" she said. "That's not how I know you."

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She stopped speaking to stare at him when his eyebrows clenched tightly, the claws from his right hand shaking as they touched his bare chest. Fingers turning inward, his hand ground at the flesh, leaving red scratch marks to form on the pale skin. His lips separated very slightly as he breathed out a shuddering breath of air. Veins hidden beneath layers of white skin began to Moving his hand away from his chest and placing it on his side before he tore the flesh, Kagura sat back wide-eyed, breathing out shakily. "What's going on?" she questioned. She desperately wanted to wake him and ask him herself.

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She closed her eyes for a few seconds gasping loudly and pulling back when clawed fingers clasped around her thin wrist weakly. She stared down at Sesshoumaru as he stared up at her in mild confusion. "You're finally awake." He blinked and she had to bite back a snicker from his lost look. Of all things, he at the moment looked like a lost child who had stumbled upon a clue of sorts that would help bring him home. She whimpered quickly and bit her lower lip when the tip of his claws forced their way past the barrier of her skin, letting a river of blood seep on her arms.

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"Sesshoumaru—let go of me…" she said quickly. "You're hurting…me…" She gaped at him in confusion as he continued to stare up at her.

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His thin lips separated and his eyebrows turned inward in a dazed confusion. His pupils dilated. "Rin…" he stated softly.

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"_What_?! Me?!" she yelled out in surprise. Her eyes widened further as he sat up, his face with an expression she herself had never seen him with before. It made her heart jolt, which alerted her for a moment. "Uwa!" She found herself on his futon, his legs fixed between hers, her yukata risen to her mid-thighs. She leaned back a little and tried to pull away from him, but the more she leaned, the more his face pushed in her direction until she lost her balance and fell back.

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"Itai…" She shut her eyes from the pain of the collision, opening them seconds later when she felt hot and husky breath near her neck. "Wh—What are you doing?!" she yelled, using her free hand to place it against his chest and push him away.

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"Tell me: What crime have I committed?" he implored suddenly, his voice not even reaching a whisper. The claws remained around her wrist as he further pinned her, mere inches of air separating their faces.

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"_What_?" Kagura asked with a quirked eyebrow. He sounded rather desperate. She picked up a leg, growling in irritation when her yukata restrained her legs from making too much of a movement. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth—a few times had she actually fantasized Sesshoumaru doing this, but now that it was actually happening, it felt wrong—and she let out a sound of fearful objection when his knees met the floor at each side her hip. She blinked up at him. "What…what are you doing, Sesshoumaru…?"

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His hand left her wrist, red marks instantly appearing near the blood, as he brought a clawed finger to the side of her face. Kagura was quick to notice that his kenshou was flaring, and she could feel the heat emanating from his body. 'Why is he molesting my face?!' she quickly thought when moist, gentle fingers wavered above the flesh of her cheeks. "Sesshoumaru…You're not acting…like yourself. Let me go."

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"Have I done something so foul to you…" he whispered, his hot breath shutting her up instantly.

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"What are you talking about?" she asked bluntly and angrily.

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"…That you must constantly torture me?"

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"_Torture_ you? What the he—"

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"You make me bleed and ache for you."

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"Me?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing confusion. She blinked. "…Really? I…never thought that you felt—"

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"You are cruel, Rin."

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Shattered pieces finally came together.

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"Whoa—I'm _Kagura_, you stupid bastard!" Her hand clenched into a fist. "Now let me go!" Kagura yelled out in anger. She belatedly realized that Sesshoumaru's eyes had been covered with a film of illusion all this time. As much as she didn't want to do so, her fist unclenched and she swung an open palm at him.

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She pulled away from under him and pushed him so that his back was once again on the futon. Getting on her knees, she turned her back to him and hunched over slightly as she grabbed her throbbing hand. A feeling of pure anger washed over her, making her growl femininely. Being confused with Rin angered her. Her eyebrows lowered seconds later at the thought. 'Does this mean…that he—and she…but…'

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She stood up and quickly left the room. Leaning against the wall, she gave a sigh of relief. "What _was_ that…?" she questioned. She stayed there for minutes and finally decided to go back in. Upon finding him on the futon with his eyes closed as if nothing had happened, she sat down again.

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She turned to face him, a forced smile quickly masking her anger. The strings of rage in her felt tainted with a splash of green. 'Me…? Jealous of that girl…? Hnh.' She sighed and said, "Sesshoumaru, I don't know you to act this way…"

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The taiyoukai opened his eyes and then averted his gaze to the fire.

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"But…you are worrying me. I _know _that you don't eat often, but you don't have that much energy. And you're too pale. _And_ you just straddled me, _caressed_ my face, and confused me with Rin." She paused, wondering if he was still listening to her rant. The slight twitch of his ear gave her an answer. "It's really not healthy to live _by yourself_ in a large place like this. No _wonder _you're so cranky. You're becoming an old recluse!"

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She let silence catch her words for a while, allowing the fire to crackle and hiss and the rain to clatter and paddle while the two breathed quietly. Another smirk grew on her lips as she stared at him, his glowing eyes trained on the red tongue of fire. He looked at it longingly.

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"Hnh…" She looked down with closed eyes as if she had gathered all the knowledge in the world in one passing second. "I see…" she muttered, eyes turning to him once more. "If anything, Sesshoumaru…, you desperately need a woman in your life. Heh."

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As if the tono trembled dangerously and the world was coming to an instant end, the taiyoukai sat up and stared at her with thin, hardened eyes. "What are you suggesting, Kagura?" he asked angrily.

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"I _would _say to you that…that I would be a fitting woman for you, Sesshoumaru…" She paused, ignoring his snort. "But…, obviously _Rin_ has caught you up and put you in a little bind."

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His eyes widened at her statement and his jaw hung loosely for a few seconds.

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"Hnh." She smirked, bending forward to stand. "You obviously yearn for her. I didn't ever think that _you_ would—heh—actually feel something for someone." She walked up to the shoji and opened it. "Rin…" she paused and leaned her head forward against the pane of the shoji, "Rin's a special girl. I _know_ you left her in a village. What a stupid thing to do."

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Opening the shoji door, she looked back and saw him in a _slightly_ contemplative mood. "Your food will turn cold if you just leave it there." Leaving him to himself, she once again leaned against the wall, smirking. "You've definitely outdone yourself…" she mumbled. Proudly walking away, she went to Rin's room and fell on the futon, unconscious with sleep before she hit the mounds of cloth.

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Rin lay in her cold futon, staring at the ceiling with dark, lost eyes. Every few seconds she would blink, and with the blinks came two faces: one regal, stoic, refined, secretly gentle, and the other timid, smiling, simply adorable, secretly troubled with two hearts. Truthfully, she did not know which one she found to like more. She _knew_ she liked Shobi because all of her life she traveled with Sesshoumaru and never had a change. Yet, she knew Sesshoumaru _all_ of her life.

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She thought of Shobi for a few minutes. He was tall, strong, had beautiful black hair, a soft voice, and he had such gentle eyes. He seemed shy, and she _knew _that he was in love with her. '…Or maybe in lust…' she thought moments later. She could not help but worry about him recently—his strange actions, his double mind, the way he distanced himself at times, and even so, the way his eyes turned so…angry.

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Her thought then turned to Sesshoumaru. 'Sesshoumaru-_sama_…He is taller, far stronger, has pearly, silk, endless tresses that I can see even through blindness—and I know it would always be him. And his voice...Kami-sama…I miss hearing him speak to me—well…order me around. Heh…' She paused in thought. 'His voice used to sound…lost when I was younger. And even his eyes—so hard and cold—they have lightened over the years with a frail touch of trouble…'

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She turned to her side and breathed heavily, shutting her brown eyes tightly and clenching her fist. 'That was when he had me…' she thought. "…I prefer not to…" she spoke. "I prefer not to," she repeated. "I prefer not to…, I prefer not to. I prefer…" She paused and stared off into the darkness. '…How those words must have hurt Sesshoumaru-sama…' she thought sadly.

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The silence of the room caught her thoughts. She closed her eyes once more and gave a sigh. 'Sesshoumaru-sama…, how are you?' she thought. She sighed once more. 'Sesshoumaru-_sama_, do you miss me at all? I cannot stay here any longer. My heart is falling into a dark, dark place. If I stay here another month, another week, even…another night, I…I will leave this place. I _will_ find you.'

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She stayed awake for the rest of the night, listening to the gentle hum-drumming of the rain pattering against the rooftop and against the ground outside, the occasional clap and grumble of thunder. When hours later the rain stopped and the skies calmed, she turned over to her other side and stared out the window.

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Rin groggily walked into the eating room, stumbling foolishly every few seconds. She moaned tiredly as she reached the doorway, leaning against it and staring at the two eating. She gave an open mouthed whine and knelt on the zabuton.

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"Rin-san…" Shobi muttered with raised eyebrows. "Ohayou."

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Rin turned her dark copper eyes at him, snorted, then turned to the food set in front of her.

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"I…take you did not sleep well last night?" he asked.

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Rin turned to him, snorted again, then grabbed her chopsticks. 'Not at all…' she thought. 'You and Sesshoumaru-sama troubled me for the whole night…'

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"Hmm, nor did I," he mentioned, taking a bite of food after speaking. "But, today is another bright day, and even so, the sun has cleared the rain already."

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"Un," Rin mentioned with a nod. She turned to Kaede and bowed her head lightly to thank her for the food.

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"Ano…" Shobi started, "Rin-san…, are you going to be busy today?" he asked.

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"Uun…" She shook her head and looked at Shobi inquisitively.

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"Mm…I…was wondering if—if you would like to go somewhere with me…"

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"Hmm?" Rin questioned, raising her eyebrows as she set the chopsticks down.

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"Well…winter, as you know, is very near. The days are growing shorter, the nights longer and colder."

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"Un." Rin gave a simple nod, wondering where he was getting at. She cocked her eyebrow as he continued to speak, his tone softer and his words jumbled. Placing a hand on his arm to make him calm down, he finally looked at her eye to eye, looking away seconds later with a blush creeping upon his cheeks.

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"Well…I was wondering if, after noon passes, if you would like to go to a small spring with me? Just to sit and…and relax. Before too many leaves have fallen and all the flowers have died."

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Rin's eyes squeezed into a smile. "Un," she answered with a nod.

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The morning hours passed quickly, leaving the heat of the sun and harsh winds to attack everyone in the afternoon. Kaede had left the dojo moments ago, hours after Shobi and Rin had made their exit, bringing Jaken to comfort as opposed to the cold night. She sat on her zabuton with her hands on her knees, and Jaken sat cross legged, leaning forward with his cheek caught in his fingers.

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"Well?" Jaken asked. "What important thing do you have to tell me, _Kaede o-baba_?" he asked, putting emphasis on her name. "Rin must return to Sesshoumaru-sama; spending time to speak idly is a waste."

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"Which is why, Jaken-sama, I will turn come to the matter at hand," Kaede retorted, lifting an eyebrow in irritation. "Rin is in danger."

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"What?!" Jaken yelled, pulling back and raising his hand. "How? Why?!"

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"In fact," Kaede continued morosely, turning her gaze downward, "she just might die."

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"Hm?!" he asked as he stood up. Kaede motioned calmly for him to find his seating, but he remained standing rudely. "How do you know this, _human_?!"

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"Well, not only Rin, but also Shobi, my apprentice," she mumbled softly to herself. "The poor boy."

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"I do not care about this _Shobi_ human! Rin is what I came here for!" Jaken said. "And how have you come up with this?!" he burbled.

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"Actually," she started, waving her hand over at him again for him to sit, "you _will_ want to be seated when I next speak." Jaken lifted an eye ridge and did as told, crossing his arms over his chest and while mumbling about demanding old humans. "Shobi has interested me for the past months…" She noted how Jaken rolled his eyes and decided to get straight to the point. "He has not been himself for a while. He actually…worries me…"

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"And why should I make this _my_ concern?!" Jaken asked.

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She continued, ignoring his question. "This will concern you, I would think. A few months ago, the beginning of fall, Shobi left the village to pay visit to his distant family for a few days. He returned nights later and reported to me that he had come upon a mononoke. He said that he felt from the mononoke a _strong _and _restless_ need to quench a thirst of revenge, and that it was tainted with anger and pain. So Shobi offered to the mononoke a permanent rest—access to the other world—but mentioned to that he would first need to clean himself of his deep anger."

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Jaken stared at her unknowingly, an eye twitching. "You—you give me useless stories…" he mumbled angrily with a fisted hand.

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"Useless to _you_, Jaken-sama. I have not yet told you the rest."

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"…Continue…" he muttered.

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She continued. "Shobi claimed to me that he set the spirit to rest…But…" She stopped shortly, trying to find the right words to speak. "_I_ think differently from his words. He has since acted more distanced with me and his companions. Shobi actually likes Rin, but every now and then he has come to _lust_—not just love—for Rin at times _even though_ he vowed to dedicate his life to his studies and take my place when I come to leave this ground."

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"Na—nani?" Jaken asked bluntly.

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Kaede nodded. "He nearly forced a kiss upon Rin last night, and also has he come to flare with youki at one point or another. I think that Shobi has come to be…cursed by that mononoke before he set him to rest. And so…Rin seems to be in danger, and Shobi as well, from this curse."

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"…This happened when?" Jaken asked quickly, leaning forward a little. "That Shobi was possessed—or so you think?"

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"In the beginning of fall…" Kaede answered.

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Jaken put his hand to his chin in deep thought. "And this was a mononoke? Was the brat sure of this?"

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"Hai," Kaede answered with a nod.

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"Did…did the mononoke speak at all?" he asked.

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"I do not remember Shobi mentioning such a thing," Kaede answered. "Why? What are you coming at, Jaken-sama?"

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Jaken scrambled up quickly. "Where have the gone?!" he asked quickly.

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"In the forest a ways off, Jaken-sama," Kaede responded. "Near a spring."

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"Ah!" Jaken yelled. He shook his head before he ran out of the dojo with urgency. "Rin" he yelled out, knowing that she would not hear. He cursed as he ran blindly toward the spring, which whereabouts he did not know. But something told him that he needed to get there as soon as possible to keep Rin away from the mononke. He wanted her to return to Sesshoumaru-sama as they had left her.

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"Rin!"

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A shiver of pain shook Sesshoumaru, causing him to open his eyes. His fingers shook unsteadily before reaching his chest. He had not felt such a pain as this before. It was worse than anytime before. He arched his back out as he let out a desperate breath of air. The pain was far too unbearable, and the confusion of _why_ this was happening to him as of late made him let out an almost prayerful groan.

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Feet lightly but speedily pattered against the wooden planks, and then the sound of his shoji sliding open. "Sesshoumaru?!" Kagura asked worriedly when she came upon him in his state. "Are you alright?" She attempted to place a hand on his shoulder, but pulled back in pain when he used his outstretched claws to scratch her, his nails digging deep into her skin. She sat back and widened her eyes when he stood up moments later, his bloody hand pressed against his chest. "What's wrong with you?" she asked.

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Sesshoumaru felt Kagura's eyes upon him while fixed his top. He heard her stand up and take a few steps behind him when he advanced to the entrance of the room. "Kagura," he said as he stopped, turning his gaze to the side with a hardened glare. "Do not follow me." At that, Sesshoumaru left the tono.

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Kagura gave a pout and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't take orders from _anyone_!" she yelled angrily. She went to follow him.

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-

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'It really is nice that you have brought me here, Shobi,' Rin thought as she sat on a branch. She swung her legs a couple of times and placed her hand on the branch to keep her balance, placing the flowers on her lap and thinking of the nice, long walk they had taken to come here.

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Just moments ago had Shobi handed them to her, mentioning how he favoured this place most because it thrived longer than any other place before winter came. She had stared up at him so lovingly, and he had looked down at her with such gentle eyes that she could only accept the flowers.

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She grabbed Shobi's wrist as he climbed up to sit next to her, placing himself at the base of the branch so that he could lean against the tree with his legs dangling at either side. He smiled at her as he sat and then stared at the small spring a few feet off. The two of them quietly listened to the gently rippling water. Rin sighed loudly after a few minutes, playing with her nails as she stared off for a while. She blinked slowly, then turned to Shobi when she heard him shuffle a bit, making some red and orange leaves rustle and to the ground below them.

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"Are you tired, Rin-san?" Shobi asked gently as he over down at her.

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She blinked again before she gave a nod. "Un."

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"Here," he said, offering her is shoulder. "You can rest your head here."

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Rin smiled at the warm gesture and moved closer to Shobi until at last their arms touched. She blushed madly and turned her gaze away from Shobi. She gave a quick yelp when he pulled the sleeve of her yukata ever so gently, trying to keep her balance so she wouldn't fall off, and gave an 'umph' when her back landed in Shobi's chest. She pulled up her yukata a little so that she could let her legs dangle as well, leaning farther back into Shobi's chest.

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She gave a short gasp when he grabbed her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. His other hand found its way to the wrap of her yukata and rested there. She breathed deeply, but calmed seconds later when he leaned his back against the tree, pulling back with him.

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"I used to come here all the time to be alone," he whispered softly, blushing madly. "I had nothing to worry about…"

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"Hnh…" Rin mumbled softly.

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"Rin-san…"

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"Un?" she asked.

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"…I would like to ask you a question…" he stated softly.

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"…Un…"

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"Would you…marry me, Rin-san?"

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-

**A/N: **Waah! I only have two chapters to go! Oh me oh my, what shall happen?! Do you know?! Hm…_Do_ you?! Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I finished writing it at precisely 5:25 a.m., somehow not catching the attention of my mother. Now this is dedication (or maybe I just wanted to get this chapter out so much? Hmm…) Well anyway, I would like you to know that I will be updating in about two weeks, alright? The dead line of this story is the 31st of August, but I think that I can make it. I have a feeling that the next chapter will be _long_ and it will be just like my other chapter that had the different points of view, so be prepared :D. Review responses:

choco-coco: Shobi turning Inu youkai? Sessyou turning human? No…o.O;; Not at all, actually. We'll find out a little bit more about Kagura by the end of the story, the last chapter I think :D

vegita-dias: Yah I know. Those two boys have _major_ issues going on =.=; Beautiful phsycologically? o.O; Maybe x.x

FortySeventhLight: I love it when Kagura pops up out of no where. She's Sesshoumaru's personal fangirl on the show, haha. Besides, she's not bad. I've read a lot of the manga, and personally she's reaching the top ranking that I have for Kikyou. And Kikyou is my favourite female character in the show. Kagura is very cool :P Kagura's part will become even bigger by the end. In this chapter she sort of kicked Sessyou in the butt :P Thank you for the four stars! I hope you enjoyed this one!

yamitamashii: Noope :P. And we still don't know everything yet, muahaha. I'm truly evil, I must say. Your hunch is…pretty…good o.o.

Charmed 18: That depends. I've practically had no time to read fanfiction even though it's summer. I'm working on a lot of things ;-;

drake220: I know…I really am evil :D. But I mean, you guys can practically figure out everything from here. Haha XD Yes, Kagura is the butt kicker of the story :P. That's why I love her so much.

Mizu-Crystal: You…you want Sessyou to kill Shobi?? o.o;; [runs away from you] But I love Shobi! He's so cute!! o.o; you evil person [gasp of horror]

RosesIntheRain: I really like that name o.O. I'm not the one who picked that phrase, though, Mizu-Crystal-sama did [bows to Mizu] Don't worry, things are come to a steady end…But…the end just might…er…never mind…can't tell :D.

TinckerBell: It's not spelled boe…it's boy o.O. And no, he's not schizophrenic. Q=.=g Yes, Sesshoumaru's curse is affecting him. Yes, Jaken will get this right. You can find a good beta reader anywhere. :P

And special thanks to Meganiun Girl, Galandria the Vampire Queen, Cattico, Lynn-Minmay, SlytherinBabe, Zircon, Fuuga Kumi, and Raelena for your reviews! You Guys rock mai sox :P. Thank you all for your reviews! Review _again_ muahaha! :D Well, I hope you enjoyed. Also, for any of you that read _Clouds that Fall_, that fic _is_ on HIATUS. So please be patient, because I will not be updating it until this story is done. OF course…I'll be starting a new fic too. Another Mir/San, but a much better one :P Kay, Ja. I'm off to have fun at my triiip :D


	10. Chapter 9: A Nightingale Sings the Song ...

**A/N:** Ha...this is the fastest update I've made in about a whole year -. Well anyway, I really enjoyed my trip, I had a lovely time minus the insects and the heat. I really don't want to fill up too much space for this A/N. This chapter was actually longer than I thought it would be x.x =D=;; But it only looks long, it really isn't long, though. There are four different points of view: Kagura's, Rin and Shobi's, Sesshoumaru's, and Jaken's. Be prepared for them. The theme of this chapter came from Yanni's "Nightingale". He is an extraordinary musician, I practically cried as I was listening to my music and writing.  
By the way...I really don't see how I'm going to be able to finish this in just this chapter and the next for the contest. So this means that I'm going to have to make an alternate ending if this doesn't finish by the next chapter.  
  
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**Silent Echoes**

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It is a light song  
  
Gentle, sorrowful, pleasing  
  
A nightingale sings  
  
And it redeems your black soul  
  
It tears at your fading heart 

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**VI**  
  
Your fingers tremble  
  
And your eyes, they cry in pain  
  
Your heart bleeds slowly  
  
Then it dissipates like dirt  
  
Falling in a little stream. 

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**Chapter 9: _A Nightingale Sings the Song of Death_**

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Rin paused and pulled away from Shobi, her eyes widened in absolute confusion. What animals still out in the bloom of winter cooed and sang as the winds softly blew leaves into the air. Her lips shivered as she went over in her mind each word he had just spoken to her in that sentence. She let out a shuddering breath and turned to Shobi. "I..." she paused.

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"Rin-san, you do not have to answer me now. Right now I know that you are still broken from the fall that your Lord gave you, and still you are confused about many things. I know, Rin-san," Shobi said gently as he smiled, giving Rin a look of pure innocence, his eyes marred by the slight touches of the sun's rays. "But if I have to, Rin-san..." he started, grabbing her hand softly, "I will wait an eternity to receive your answer."

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Rin pulled her hand away from him with soft gasp. 'No..., this should not be happening! It should not be this hard...Why is it this hard...?'

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Shobi pulled her back again and stared up at the bleeding sky, wrapping both of his arms around Rin's torso, encaging her in his love. "I have fallen in love with you, Rin-san," he whispered into her ear softly.

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'Why?' Rin thought. She felt her head becoming heavy, and her eyes heating up with painful tears. She let out shuddering breaths as her fingers found their way to her lips. Her eyebrows were raised in confusion, her eyes switching from left to right. She could not stop shaking, and soon the hot tears in her eyes fell, leaving scathing marks on her cheeks as they descended onto her lips.

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"Are you happy, Rin-san?" Shobi asked as he pulled Rin further back and pushed himself forward to stare at her face. His features dimmed into disappointment when he read her expression. "You are sad..." he mumbled softly. He stared at her for a few more seconds before he brought a finger to delicately wipe her tears. "I wish, Rin-san, that I were these tears."

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'Why?' she thought again. '_Why_?'

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"So that I could come from your beautiful eyes and fall on your divine lips only when you are happy."

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His words caused her to cough back a gasp. 'It should not be this way, Shobi!'

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"Because I love you this much, Rin-san."

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'Why is it so hard for me to say 'I prefer not to'?'

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Jaken pushed past the plants that stood in his way. His short legs moved with urgency as he ran blindly to find Rin. Already too much time had passed. He had spent countless minutes searching in the wrong direction. 'And I know that I should turn back once more,' he thought in aggravation. "Sesshoumaru-sama! You should _never _have left Rin behind! I bite my tongue, baka!" he yelled angrily.

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The sound of water trickling caught his attention instantly. 'Water?!' he thought. 'Always has its source...' He snapped at the plants in front of him until finally he reached a small creak. He stared at it for a few seconds, then wilted in confusion. "Do I go up the creak, or do I go _down_?!" he asked in frustration. He first went down, further twining his way through the maze of the forest. The trickling eased his senses, though, and calmed him as he searched. The winds blew softly in the air, causing the ghoul to look at the sky.

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His eyes widened. "The sun is setting..." he mumbled. 'Soon it will become more difficult to find Rin.' The wind blew again, ushering him forward. He felt that this way was the right way. "The wind cannot lie," he said. "I am going in the right direction." Minutes later, he found that the stream was flowing faster, but paid no mind to that minor factor.

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"What is this beating sound?" he asked himself as he stood still. He looked at the water again and finally put two and two together. "The wrong way!" he screamed to himself. "I was heading for a waterfall. Deceptive winds!" Growling in annoyance, he turned around and went the opposite way.

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The taiyoukai's thin eyes were set before him, his face as stoic as ever in his confusion. 'What is this?' he thought. 'I can detect nothing...!' His legs heavily pounded against the ground as he stumbled his way through the forest. It was more difficult than anything he had ever done before. Naked, wiry branches whipped against his face, and they seemed to be pushing him back instead letting him pass. Thin lines of scratches covered his usually flawless face, and Sesshoumaru needed to stop numerous times to catch his breath.

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'Like nothing before,' he thought as he rested against a tree. 'I have never felt this sapped of energy in all the days of my life...' He breathed heavily as he winced, bringing his hand against his chest. 'Slow...' He shook quickly and quivered as he pushed himself away from the tree.

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He wanted her. It was too painful. It was far too painful. He cursed. His body ached to hold her. Not the way he had held her when she was young—to protect her, to save her. 'It took me too long.' he thought. 'Too long.'

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It did stir him when Rin had waited so many times for him patiently, and he only returned her affection with arrogance and without concern.

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It did make him shiver when Rin had screamed his name as she fell to most certain death, because he had felt that scream shake within his chest.

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It did anger him when Naraku had pawned him into saving Rin's life in a trap.

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It did cause him to worry when Suikotsu nearly took Rin's life in what would have been a most brutal way.

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Above all, it hurt the most when Rin begged and cried for him to take her with him when he left her in the village.

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It took him far too long to realize that from the very moment he set his weary eyes on her small face, he did indeed care for her. And now he loved her. It was more than enough to make him push harder and go faster. He winced once more in pain, feeling his body getting heavier with every step he took. His eyes fell to the sword at his side.

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'Tensuseiga...' he thought quickly, his eyes thinning further in anger. 'You fail to preserve me alive, chichi-ue.'

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'What is this?' Kagura thought as she trailed behind Sesshoumaru. 'I'm not even using my stealth...and still he can't sense me?!' She glowered, holding her fan as she leaned against a tree. "What's happened to you?" she whispered. Within the time that she had been following him, Kagura noticed what little progress he made. 'He's moving so slow. And he's all sapped of energy...'

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"What is that girl worth to you, anyway?" she questioned. "You're really going far for her." Her eyes widened suddenly when Sesshoumaru stumbled against a tree, his pale fingers clasping against his chest again. She stepped away from the tree in preparation to help him, but thought against it seconds later. Her fingers found her lips before she could make a sound at the sight she saw. She momentarily shivered and took another step forward when Sesshoumaru gave a cough that unleashed blood.

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'Kami-sama!' she thought. 'His energy is far too low! How can he even go on?!' She clicked her tongue and pulled a feather from her hair. 'Baka...he's killing himself over her. He really is.' She looked up for a few seconds and then jumped onto one of the branches, tucking the feather in her hair after a internal battle.

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'Fine, Sesshoumaru. I see,' she thought as he stood up once more, his hand placed weakly against his chest as he breathed heavily. He took a step. "Your determination is exceptional even as you are." She leapt onto another branch so that she was closer to him.

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He stumbled again as he took more steps, groaning in pain.

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"I'll watch over you, Sesshoumaru," she whispered, staring at him in awe.

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He stepped again.

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"You'll get to her safely. I swear this, Sesshoumaru; as long as the winds blow, you'll get to her safely. I am Kagura of the Wind."

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"**You know, Rin-san," Shobi started once more, flicking his bangs away from his eyes and scratching the side of his face with a finger as he blushed. "I have thought this many nights since I first saw you. But...last night, when you sang, I never felt stronger about you. Would you...like to know what I have thought?" he asked.**

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"**U—Un..." she responded softly. 'Be calm, Rin. Be calm. Just listen to what he has to say. And find a way to break his heart very,_ very_ gently...' She wiped her tears. 'I cannot be weak. I have be strong for Sesshoumaru-sama."**

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"**I have thought to myself many times, Rin, that you remind me of a bird with broken wings."**

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Jaken ran up the stream and paused to catch his breath. 'Why?! Why does this have to be so difficult! Why do I always have to look out for Rin! Rin no baka! Sesshoumaru no baka!' he thought angrily, standing straight to start up again. He walked this time, preserving what energy he had left for later. "I never wanted this," he mumbled angrily. "I never wanted to get twisted up in something like this. Why me?"

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_He paused and stood still for a few seconds, shaking. "What—What is this?" He took a step further, looking around. "This energy I it be—!" He ran forward. 'It is such an evil energy!'_

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"**I have studied western lands and everything about them. And there was one bird in particular that always stole my attention."**

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**Rin breathed out slowly. 'Kami-sama...please. Do not say it. Please...' she thought prayerfully. She wanted to block her ears. She did not want to hear another world. She would most definitely crumble if she did.**

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"**And I know, Rin-san, that you are an intelligent girl. You seem to be very well taught. And so I watched you closely yesterday when we were with the young children."**

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'**No...Oh, please, say no more!' she thought dreadfully.**

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"**I thought it was a dream," he said as he chuckled lightly. "I said to myself, I must be dreaming to see Rin-san drawing a bird as sorrowful as this. And then I remembered as you sang Rin-san, I remembered."**

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**She opened her mouth.**

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"Too slow," he mumbled weakly as he paused again, breathing raucously. He stared at the sky. "The skies are bleeding. Does this tell me something..." Sesshoumaru asked as he looked down, his eyes shut. "...Chichi-ue?" His words were cut short as his chest jolted in pain, shaking his whole body. He shivered before he walked again.

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He would not stop. 'There is something of mine that I must take back.'

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'_**Oh, I see something ahead...' Kagura thought as she stayed still, holding onto the tree tightly. "The winds tell me so..." she said. She looked down suddenly at Sesshoumaru. 'He's still stumbling around like an idiot...'**_

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**_She paused and gasped. 'Too low! Too low!' she thought. She stepped closer to him. 'But I can't help him...How remarkable that he can keep going on like this.'_**

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"_Far too evil!" Jaken screamed in fear. "I have felt it before!" His legs moved faster than ever. "Uwa!!" he screamed in pain, his body burning as he flew back several metres. He finally hit the ground and bit back a scream of pain. Pulling himself up, Jaken looked around to see what repelled him. Bringing ninjitou in front of him for protection, he waved it in the air until he stood before the spot that repelled him. He took the ninjitou and threw it in front of him, his eyes widening seconds later._

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"_This is bad!" he screamed. "A barrier!"_

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She heard the beat of her heart thudding against her whole body. She wanted to cry. She wanted to break away from him and cry.

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"**I remembered how sorrowful you sounded as you sang, Rin-san. You sounded so sorrowful, like you wanted to lay down and die. Because of love."**

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**Rin pulled away from him and shut her eyes. 'Stop it!'**

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"**Just like a nightingale."**

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**She stared at him in disbelief, her eyes fiery with tears.**

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"_Rin!" Jaken yelled into the barrier, knowing it was hopeless. "Rin! Get away from him!"_

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"'**I never have to hear a nightingale sing,' I thought as you were singing," Shobi said sadly, giving Rin a pitiful stare. "'Because here is a nightingale singing right now.'"**

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**A desperate sob escaped from Rin's lips as her eyes released the tears that she had been holding back. She stared at Shobi despairingly.**

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"**What a sad and beautiful song you sang, Rin-san, like a nightingale singing in pain because it was betrayed and hurt by the one it hopelessly loved." He extended an open hand toward Rin. "Even now, Rin-san..., even now..."**

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"Hnh..." Sesshoumaru mumbled. "I see..." Through his look of pain he managed to give a faltering smirk. "This was all a trap to kill me...from the very beginning." His eyes thinned as he stared forward. He stared at the three challengers standing in front of him with their arms crossed. "Dokkasou." His hand lit up with the yellow light as he jumped forward.

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Kagura held back her open fan as she stared at Sesshoumaru. 'He doesn't have enough energy to fight these guys. And where did they come from?! Was it a barrier?!' she thought. She watched in awe as Sesshoumaru fought each one, ready to intercede. She gasped lightly and stared in horror when the sword of one of the foes hacked in Sesshoumaru's direction and finally went through his tail, blood spattering from it. She jumped from the tree branch quietly and landed on the ground before widening her eyes in shock.

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**_The one that had attacked Sesshoumaru let out a scream of pain as he fell to his knees, clutching his stomache as blood poured from it and his mouth. 'I see...' Kagura thought. 'Sesshoumaru allowed him to get close because he knew that close combat was his only option. But...that's just sacrificing himself! I can't watch any longer!'_**

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He crackled his fingers in agitation before looking at the other two. He knew that they had found out his ploy. 'And so it will get harder...Two on one. Hnh.'

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"**Your wings are broken," Shobi said sadly.**

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**Rin wilted away from his extended hand, covering her eyes as she cried.**

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"**Because Sesshoumaru-sama, your lord and keeper, let you fall."**

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'**Do not say his name like that!' Rin thought. 'Do not profane his name!'**

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"**You feel that Sesshoumaru-sama, someone you love greater than the sun and moon love the sky, has betrayed you and broken the wings that make you fly." Shobi moved closer to her.**

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**She had no strength to pull away from him. She felt drained. She could not stop crying from the truth. She stared at him.**

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"**But, Rin-san, I do not want to do this to you. And, Rin-san..."**

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"_Rin! It is too dangerous! It is far too dangerous! Hear me out, Rin! Get away from him!" Jaken screamed desperately._

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He dodged the attack and swiveled away, letting out a groan of pain and shock when a sword cut at him again. His chest this time. "Dokkasou!"

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He missed and was stabbed.

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Sesshoumaru's agonized grunt was more than enough to move Kagura to action. She jumped forward and opened her fan. "Fuujin no Mai!" she screamed, unleashing the blades of the winds. "Hnh! One down, Sesshoumaru!" she yelled over to him. 'And he better thank me.'

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He glared in Kagura's direction. "I did not ask you to interfe—" His blood spattered in all directions and his hand clasped against his chest.

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"**I want to restore your broken wings."**

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**She bit back a sob as he pulled her toward him.**

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"**I want you to sing a beautiful song."**

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**She accepted his extended hand.**

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"_**Ka—Kami-sama...!" Kagura yelled as she ran toward Sesshoumaru. "Fuujin no Mai!" she screamed angrily, directing the move toward the last foe standing. "That was dirty, throwing the sword at him like that, you bastard!"**_

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**_Her cheeks burned as her tears fell from her eyes. She inwardly cursed. 'How can he still be moving?!' she thought in awe._**

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"**I want you to be my nightingale."**

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He pulled the sword out from his body, hissing in pain as his fingers clasped against his chest. His body shook as he took a step forward, his eyes wide. He felt...a heartbeat that shook everything around him.

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And it hurt like nothing ever before...

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Shobi's face neared Rin's.

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...as if it were shattering into pieces...

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Rin shut her eyes.

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...bursting to fine dust ...

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Their lips brushed against each other's.

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...like fragile glass made from sand.

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It seemed to last for an eternity.

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He breathed out painfully...

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'**_His eyes...' Kagura thought as her lips quivered._**

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...and took another step forward. Another.

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'**_How does he still move?' she thought sadly._**

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His fingers slipped around the hilt of Tensusaiga and untied the sash, letting the sword fall at his feet.

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'**_Tensuseiga! But shouldn't it have...'_**

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He stared ahead of him, his vision growing horribly dim and dark.

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Shobi winced in pain, pulling away from Rin. "I...Itai..." he mumbled.

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Only his feet pulled him forward. And _that_ force.

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'**_How?! How can he still move?! He's already...He's only a shell...'_**

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He disappeared behind the barrier.

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"..._**Only those without spirit can pass a barrier..." Kagura muttered to herself, falling to her knees. Her hands flew to her face as she covered her eyes. 'No one has ever made me cry before...'**_

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**Rin stared at Shobi in confusion as she pulled away from him.**

**"Rin-san..." Shobi muttered as he grabbed at his sides, leaning over in pain. His head shot up before he could get out his next words. He stared at her for a few seconds, his eyes blank. "Run." With the words he fell forward from the branch, his eyes changing colour.** **Rin stared at him in horror and screamed, jumping from the branch as he fell to the ground. She finally reached him and placed a hand on his back, pulling back when he convulsed. He twitched before letting out a scream of pain.**

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**His body shook with each step he took.**

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**Rin winced in pain and brought her hand to her neck. A sound caught her attention, making her ear twitch as she turned in the direction. The sight made her whole body tremble. 'Se—Se...'**

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**He collapsed onto the ground.**

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**'Se...sshou...' Her lips shook.**

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_**Kagura lifted her head when a fizzing sound captured her attention. "The barrier!" she screamed out, standing up.' ...It's gone!'**_

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**They would not stop shaking. Her eyes widened to further her horrified expression.**

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**"The...the barrier! It has been lifted!" Jaken screamed. He ran a few feet ahead and then stopped, biting back a horrified scream. His eyes could not pull away from the prone figure on the ground.  
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**"_What?!" Kagura questioned as she ran a few steps forward. She could see a beautiful young woman with a convulsing man at her feet. And then she saw him in all of his pale beauty. A gasp tore her lips._**

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**'Sesshou...maru...' Her lips quivered again.**

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**Shobi convulsed once more before he sat up, a deep chuckle raising from his throat. "Ah...so everyone is here now..." His eyes fell to Kagura. "Oh my, and a guest, too." He smirked.**

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**"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!!"**

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**–**

**A/N: **=D=;; Don't kill me x.x. I know you all hate what happened and you're probably a little confused right now...and you want to kill me still. [weak laughter] Erm...ya' can't kill me...if you do, you won't know what's going to happen in the next chapter ):o...Just...trust me on this...it's really not as bad as you think...You can hate me, but don't kill me...By the way...it really hurts me that you guys hate Shobi for no justified reason. You have to tell me why. Review responses:

Drake220: Waah! I really should have done that...but it would have been way too difficult. I mean...like...really difficult x.x;

Hechiichan: Oops, eh heh...I meant Hitokiri-Sunny-Side-Up [weak laughter] Waaai [glomps you for reading the story] Ah, you are right! Sesshoumaru would have figured out early on that there was a curse, which he did in his own way =3=; And yes, Shobi could lead to a tragic ending =3=;; But...not the way you suggested it. As you can tell by his "Run." comment, he's figured out already that he's possessed.

Sarehptar: Wah! You changed your name already XD! Coolness!! [sigh] I still like Kagura more.

Tiff: [glare glare] Why do you hate Shobi so much?! What has the poor guy done?!

RosesIntheRain: Haha, don't worry. This is a Rin/Sess pairing fic for a reason :P I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to finish in one more chapter too. e.e;; it might have to be an uber long chapter oO;;

MizuCrystal: Sankyuu! I had lots of fun on my trip :P. But...nee, nee...is my story that addictive?? Oo;;; Couldn't get it out of your head...hnnnnh...

TinckerBell: Well...by the way things are running in the manga, Kagura is secretly Sesshoumaru's fangirl, hehe. It's cute, actually, and I really like it. It sort of is enough to make me like Kagu/Sessyou pairings should I bite my tongue. Why do you want me to hit Jaken?

Gaara of the Sands: [steals Gaara from you] Eh heh...I'm in love with him. Dude! I checked out your DEvart! It's awesome and I've stalked you.

Yamitamashii: Hehe... that's what cliffhangers are for, don't ya' know :P. Yes...I think it was rather sad how he acted in the last chapter too.

FortySeventhLight: How long have I been writing? Hmm...for about four years now, but only for a year and a few months have I been writing on But thank you oh so very much [glomps you] You're too nice. And you flatter me too much [blush blush] But...you're too cruel to Shobi... . ;; that is unforgivable...

Also big thanks to D#, Kawaii ish, Kali Lestrange, Zircon, TheTrueSilver, Cattico, Charmed 18, Linn-Minmay, Galandria the Vampire Queen, and Rachel for your reviews! You all rock! Please don't kill me! Next chapter coming soon :D! Possibly an alternate ending! :D!


	11. Chapter 10: Distant Thunder

**A/N: **This is not the alternate chapter. This is the actual next chapter. You know what's funny? I've just found a way to bump this story up by at _least_ 5 more chapters. I'm feeling good, and I've been in the mood for fanfiction lately, so I'm updating this, and the next chapter of [gathp] **Clouds that Fall **will be coming out soon?! Wow! What a shocker!! Please go read that story! I'm in love with it now just as much as I am in love with this story! TDT Ah yes…I have a prize. I will be reaching the point of my 200th review for the first time evar [insert happiness] So. My 200th reviewer gets a loverly prize. Like…a real one. Most likely a drawing of your choice. I'll email you personally and we'll discuss it :D.

Oh goodness quick edit has ruined the beauty of making good looking fanfiction ;-;

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**Silent Echoes**

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**VII**

_The thund'rous cloud grows_

_Within the sparkling heavens_

_Rumbling 'bove bright hills_

_Alone it dances, crying_

_With the pain of suff'ring loss _

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**Chapter 11: _Distant Thunder_**

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Her feet scrambled in a mess as she moved forward quickly, her hand against her throat in shock. Hearing words other than 'I prefer not to' coming from her lips was shocking in the least. 'Did…I just speak?' she thought. That aside, all of Rin's thoughts directed to the white haired beauty that laid on the ground, his body terrifyingly still. Testing out her tongue once more, she screamed. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

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How did this come about? It actually happened. Her tongue was restored. In _any_ other occasion, Rin would have been brought to tears of pure relief and elation. This event, though, called for fear instead. Her lord, Sesshoumaru-sama, laid on the ground in a heap of blood and wounds, paler than his own hair.

Running forward, Rin's eyes remained trained on Sesshoumaru, neither another thing nor another person crossing her mind.

"Rin!" Kagura gasped as her eyes widened, watching the scene before her. She was unsure of this human that had just sat up, but she could feel his wicked intent flowing from him. Panic crossed her features when he slithered behind Rin. "Behind you!" She opened her fan all too late.

Rin felt a cold chill behind her—an aura of pure evil engulfing her—after Kagura's words distracted her. She found her legs unable to move a step further, feeling a sharp pain running through her. "Agh!"

"…Just…what's going on?!" Kagura questioned in confusion. Everything happened too quickly for her. Obviously this human was not pure—he was tainted with a mononoke.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" the forgotten Jaken yelled, running over to his lord.

Rin fell to her feet, calling out to Sesshoumaru once more, and then clasped her hand against her chest in pain. 'Wh…what is this pain?' she thought, wincing. Her other hand was thrown out toward Sesshoumaru before she shivered. A cold hand smoothed it's way onto her neck, hot breath upon her skin. "Sho…Shobi-san…?" she asked with fright.

"Shobi, _Shobi_," he repeated in boredom, mocking Rin. "There is no Shobi here now, Rin-_san_. Hnh, now he is inside _me_ and _I _am controlling him." His cold fingers softly caressed her neck, then trailed to the roots of her hair. He tugged gently, muttering incoherencies into her ear.

Rin's head lolled forward weakly as she let out a small whimper. "What…are you doing, Shobi-san?" Rin asked in confusion, trying with all her might to pull away from him.

"Ah, you have nothing to worry about, Rin," he spoke smugly, standing straight. He took a few steps away from Rin and walked towards Kagura. "I have just…momentarily paralyzed your legs. Also…" he turned to Rin slowly, "don't rejoice as if you have normal speech. That's momentary as well…"

Rin's eyes widened in shock before her eyes fell downward. She would have turned away, but her body refused to make any movement. 'Only…momentary?' she thought. "…Why?" she asked. "Why do you have such evil inclinations?"

Her question was ignored as 'Shobi' neared Kagura. Kagura stood slowly, opening her fan as her defense. "Fuujin no—"

"You, Kaze no Kagura—" he glared at Kagura quickly, "you stay still as well."

Kagura's movements were halted and she fell to her knees, hissing in anger. "Who are you?" she asked angrily. "How do you know me?"

Her question was ignored as well, and she and Rin watched as he walked toward the fallen Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin yelled again, straining herself to move forward. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Jaken turned around quickly, shuffling up in panic. "S—Stay back!" he stuttered, holding his hands the either side of him as Shobi walked several steps closer. "I am warning you!"

"Feh," Shobi muttered. He once again mumbled incoherencies with shut eyes.

"Uwa!" Jaken yelled in pain, grabbing the sides of his head as he bowled forward with wide eyes.

"Jaken-sama!" Rin yelled. Her eyes began to fill with tears. "Shobi-san! Please stop!"

He snickered at Rin's ignorance as he turned to her, flicking his bangs away from his eyes as he leaned his weight on one side. "You still seem confused, Rin," he said. "Your memory must need to be refreshed. Hnh…why don't you turn to Sesshoumaru…Cry out to your lord." At that point, the smile on his face grew into a smirk.

Rin's features dropped before her eyes widened. "You are…" she started.

_"Cry out to your master…" he said deeply, but softly._

"That night…at the onsen…" Rin mumbled. Still, it was unbelievable that she was able to speak normally again.

"Ah, you will have to excuse me. I was so concentrated on killing Sesshoumaru that night that I never had a chance to introduce myself. I am Enraimaru—"

"_Why_? Why do you want to kill Sesshoumaru-sama!?" Rin asked. She paused, widening her eyes as she breathed out painfully. Her skin paled quickly as she whimpered, bringing her hand to her chest. '…This pain…' she thought. 'So…cold.'

Kagura watched as well, her eyebrows furrowing. "What is this…?" she said softly. 'She looks as if she's suffering…like Sesshoumaru was…'

"Ah, so finally it is working on you?" Enraimaru asked with a sulky voice.

Kagura's eyes widened, as well as Jaken's, as they stared at Rin. Blood began to pour from her mouth, masking her lips with a beautiful yet horrifying shade of red. "Rin!" Kagura yelled. A thought suddenly struck, and she turned to Sesshoumaru. Blood…was pouring from his mouth as well. "What's happening here?!" she asked.

Enraimaru shoved Jaken out of his way, standing in front of Sesshoumaru. The features on Shobi's face contorted from a smirk to a glower as he bent down in front of the motionless taiyoukai. His fingers wavered above him.

"No! No, stay away from Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin yelled in fright, pushing her pain aside. Her tears flew into the air as she shook her head violently.

Enraimaru's index and middle finger touched Sesshoumaru's neck. He felt one soft ripple from under his fingers. Only one. "Hnh." He smirked, squinting his eyes in delight. Another soft pulse rippled under his fingers many seconds later. "Good. He's not _fully_ dead." He said the words loud enough for everyone to hear.

The statement caught the attention of the three. "Not…fully…?" Kagura started, wanting to stagger toward Sesshoumaru. "Kami-sama…he's still…but I thought that he was…"

"Well!" Shobi interjected. "Now that everyone that I want is present, I suppose I should start." He smirked, grabbing the collar of Sesshoumaru's haori tightly tightly. He stood straight, bringing up the heavy youkai with him.

Rin choked back a gasp, able to do nothing but watch. 'His eyes…' she thought. "Sesshoumaru…sama…" she muttered painfully. 'So blank. No pupils…' She gasped again. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Ah, what a glorious moment this is for me!" Enraimaru gloated, holding Sesshoumaru up in front of him, watching the head of the taiyoukai loll to one side.

Sesshoumaru truly looked pitiful: his eyes were turned downward, his lips were turned into a pained scowl, and his eyebrows gave way to an expression he never wore. His silver hair was matted with blood and dirt, hanging in front of him with no radiating beauty. His arms and legs hung downward loosely.

Rin's fingers twisted up to her lips as she stared at Sesshoumaru, falling to her chest once more. 'This pain!' she thought. Her eyes turned to Sesshoumaru as she winced.

"You know…" Enraimaru started, looking back at Rin, "This pain that you are feeling—he feels it as well."

Rin's eyes widened from the statement, and Jaken voiced his shock. "Nani?! What…is this?!"

"It doesn't seem as if he is feeling this pain though," he said with a pout, sighing in disappointment and clicking his tongue, "because of the fact that he is lingering between life and death right now. He has no strength to move. Pity. I would have liked to see him squirming in the pain he has felt for the last few weeks."

The words snapped within Rin instantly, and she stared at Enraimaru in shock. "You…" she managed to stutter. "You…" she paused. She opened her mouth once more, her eyebrows turning downward. "You gave me…so much _pain_…" she uttered softly.

"Ah yes," Enraimaru smiled as he looked to his upper left, calling up many memories with the motion. "I remember how wonderful your pain felt. Your tears were like life sustaining water to me."

"Bastard…" Kagura muttered under her breath. She cursed internally, clenching her teeth. "You remind me of Naraku so much that I want to kill you right here…"

Jaken looked at Enraimaru at that point, his eyes wide. "…You knew…" he mumbled.

"Hnh?" Enraimaru asked, switching arms to hold up Sesshoumaru. "I knew? Knew what?" he asked innocently.

"From the very beginning…" the green youkai mumbled, catching the attention of Rin and Kagura. "You have known about Tensuseiga, am I right?"

"Oh. That. Yes, I knew," Enraimaru smirked in pleasure at Jaken's shock.

"H—How is it that you have come to know this?!" Jaken asked in confusion.

He smirked once again. "You know…, the fact that I've planned this out from the very, _very_ beginning of things and you all fell right into my trap step by step—with an added treasure—" his eyes turned toward Kagura, "makes this even more enjoyable."

"Planned?" Jaken asked. "From…the beginning? Hey, no one asked you to change the subject!"

'What are they talking about?' Rin thought. "The Tensuseiga…what does it have to do with this?" she asked herself.

"Ah, something that not even Sesshoumaru-_sama_ knows of," Enraimaru said as his eyes turned upward, gloating further at his success.

"But how have you come to know of the curse of Tensuseiga?!" Jaken asked in confusion. "Not even _I _knew of it until a while ago!"

Enraimaru sighed. "I really don't feel like explaining this," he whined. "But I suppose…that I should mention that Inu no Taishou, the father of Sesshoumaru, came to our village centuries ago, requesting a pact of allegiance with us if we could place a curse of the scabbard of Tensuseiga. We _are_, after all, a village full of mage youkai. And this pact has been passed through our village for these centuries: he would ensure our protection."

His eyes fell upon Sesshoumaru.

"Now…I just want to kill Sesshoumaru in the most horrific of ways because he violated the pact dishonorably. And…" he looked back at Rin once more, his voice lowering, "I want you to watch him suffer." He gave a wide, haunting grin.

-

Cold.

It was…so cold here, so chilling. What was this place? It was too dark to see anything, a void thicker than black itself.

Here, there was nothing. Just the coldness. And…this pain.

What was this coldness of, though? And the pain?

A small part of the darkness surrounding him faded into a womanly shape.

Rin.

Ah, this was the chilly feeling of betrayal.

It prickled him all over.

-

"And then, Rin, when you have seen him in his weakness, you will run to me and beg for my hand to caress you, to comfort. And I will finally, _finally_ be able to overcome Sesshoumaru, Taiyoukai of the Western Lands. Ah, how perfectly my plans will work out."

Rin gasped and turned her eyes away from him. "You…you are too cruel. I want none of that."

"Me! I'm cruel?!" Enraimaru yelled angrily, his red eyes flashing dangerously as he shook Sesshoumaru. "He slaughtered my _whole_ village! He stood there amongst the fire and destruction that came from his hands! You tell me—what is cruel?"

"You are wrong! That was not Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin pushed out, her words cut down to a strain.

"Tch." Shobi rolled his eyes. "His betrayal to my village was disgusting and low."

"It could not have been Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin reasoned.

"The faces of those in my village contorted in horror."

"You are wrong!" She covered her ears, blocking his awful words away.

"Those children, their bodies burned or ripped apart." Enraimaru's voice drifted off softly as his eyes lowered.

"You are wrong!" She covered her ears.

"My family—their blood painted the walls—limbs here, limbs there. It was truly…horrible." His lowered eyes then turned to Sesshoumaru, thinning into a glare.

"I will not believe that Sesshoumaru-sama…committed such a heartless act…" Rin said. The words came out as a doubtful whisper. 'He…is just like me…' she thought with widened eyes, her once pale face red with the burning of her tears. '…Just…like me…' "Sesshoumaru-sama…could not have done that."

"He betrayed our whole village…!" Enraimaru ground out through clenched teeth. "It was unforgivable! And for this reason…I have allowed him to suffer before I kill him."

'Just like me…'

The thought would not leave her mind. She gave a hic and then coughed. It hurt in her chest. It was a chilling, prickling pain, stabbing her repetitively.

'Just…like me…He lost everyone, just as I did.'

"Rin…" Kagura mumbled softly, turning her gaze over the young girl. She could not tell what she felt within herself at hearing these words—she knew as much as Rin, though, that Sesshoumaru had not done such an act—but deep, deep with in her chest, within her heart—the thing she stole from Naraku, the thing that let her feel pain and loneliness—she felt a small ounce of hurt for Enraimaru, and a small ounce of understanding. She knew what pain loneliness could cause a person.

'Will I become just like him?' Rin thought in dread. 'Will I…' She looked at Sesshoumaru, and then directed her eyes toward Enraimaru, staring at his cold, cruel demeanor. "Will I become just like you as well?" she asked softly. Her eyes turned toward Sesshoumaru again. "I cannot allow you…to kill my lord, my Sesshoumaru-sama for whatever he has done. But I know…" Rin paused. "I know that Sesshoumaru-sama has not slaughtered your village."

"Hnh." Enraimaru scoffed.

"I know this because…" Rin started softly. "Sesshoumaru-sama…rescued me from the pains of my suffering and loneliness."

Jaken bit back a sputter, widening his eyes. "Rin—what are you saying!?" he asked.

"I lost everyone—to cruel bandits—as well," Rin admitted, looking downward. "And then…I lived in a village of people who were all evil to me. They all hated me. But Sesshoumaru-sama…even after I was killed, he revived me. He was kind to me. He rescued me from the darkness and disturbance I lived in." She trailed off, turning distracted eyes toward Sesshoumaru. "And so I know…if he saved me from my loneliness, he would not bring it upon another being."

Enraimaru stared at Rin, his eyes slightly widened. His grip on Sesshoumaru's collar tightened seconds later. Biting his lower lip, he growled softly, wondering what he felt within him that held him back from making any action. Could it have been her words? No…of course not.

"So, Enraimaru, I know how you feel," Rin mumbled softly. "But…I will not allow you…to kill the one that pulled me from my darkness." She stared up at Enraimaru, the mononoke that had the looks of a sweet Shobi, but the heart of a hurt animal. "If you do so, then you will have to kill me as well!"

Enraimaru's eyes widened before he grunted angrily. His lowered eyes met Rin's eyes, and slowly, he smirked. "Your words, Rin, are like petals of a flower…that dance in the wind—they're dead, they have no objective." At that point, he took a step away, pushing Sesshoumaru farther from everyone. "I won't…" he raised Sesshoumaru higher, "let them…" his fingers clenched around Sesshoumaru's neck, "get to me!" He slammed Sesshoumaru's vulnerable body against the nearest tree.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin and Jaken yelled.

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagura yelled. 'This just seems…so…preplanned…' she thought. 'This whole thing…!'

Enraimaru smirked, pulling from behind his dark sash a blade with his free hand. He muttered a hex under his breath and let go of Sesshoumaru, taking a step back.

The taiyoukai's body lurched forward, then stopped in midair.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…!" Rin gasped. Seconds later she grabbed her chest in pain, leaning forward. "Itai…" she mumbled softly. Pushing her pain aside, she clenched her fist and slammed it on her leg. 'Move!'

The vines of the trees twisted onto his pale, limp arms and pulled him against the tree. Enraimaru moved forward, flashing his dagger in the dwindling sunlight. The blade touched Sesshoumaru's skin, resting there for a few seconds. With a quick movement of Enraimaru's wrist, the blade made a small slit one the fine skin of Sesshoumaru's face, drawing a trail of blood.

'Move!' Rin thought again, slamming her fist onto her leg, her eyes strained on the scene before her. '_Move_!' She shut her eyes at the sight of Sesshoumaru's blood. Tears pushed from between her closed eyelids. '**_No_**!' She looked up again. Another line of blood. '_Move!!'_

**_"Yai! Sesshoumaru-sama!"_**

**_"Sesshoumaru-sama! Tasukete!"_**

'He has…always protected me…' Rin thought.

**_"No, let me go! Sesshoumaru-sama is…Sesshoumaru-sama is going to come for me!"_**

****

'Please…_Move_!'

****

****

**_"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!"_**

Kagura watched, sickened by the actions. 'Preplanned. As if…it were something that Naraku planned from the very beginning of things! A set up!'

'_Move!' _Rin's hands shook against her numb legs.

"Ah, this is too boring…" Enraimaru whined. "Slitting won't do for me. I want…more blood." He lifted the blade into the air slightly with a quick flip of his wrist, then caught it so that all his fingers wrapped around the handle, the dagger held high above his head.

'But I am human. I am weak,' Rin thought. 'If I were to protect him…'

The dagger slowly descended. One inch closer.

"No!" Kagura yelled.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" The scream came from Jaken.

Another inch.

"Stop it!"

Feet scrambled forward.

Another inch.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Rin!"

Closer.

'If I were to protect him…' Rin shook her head. The sight of Shobi's body making such a horrible act against Sesshoumaru hurt Rin too much. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Blood spattered in all directions.

Everything quieted. A loud gasp ruptured the thick silence. "_Rin_!"

"If I were to protect Sesshoumaru-sama…" Rin muttered softly, facing Enraimaru and coughing out dark, red blood, "I would most certainly…die."

–

**A/N**: Ah…even I have to admit…that that was a rather evil cliff hanger. But what can I say? I like being evil. Because…Evil is loverly. And…I've been feeling very evil as of late X3. But how evil of me to leave you with such an awful cliff hanger. The next chapter should [NOTE: SHOULD] be out the week AFTER next. I should be updating **Clouds that Fall** next weekend [that's my other Sess/Rin story X3] Ah hah. I really do love being evil, though ):O. I'm such a horrible person ;; Review responses:

anhimals: I can leave everything like that…because…I'm evil!! [evil laughter] And I did it again!!! [more evil laughter]

Hitokiri-Sunny-Side-Up: [thousands glomps of DEWM] Ah, you likied it?? XD SANKYEW! I wanted to people into the atmosphere, maybe let them be a leaf watching the scene or something XDXD Evil cliffies should do that to readers X3. And here…I gave you another one! HAPPY SLEEPING X3

FortySeventhLight: Thank yew so much! It actually was a mistake how the end came together with all of the perspectives, but it actually worked out alright, so I didn't mind much XD What inspired me to create Shobi? I don't know. At all. Actually, I don't know what inspired me to make this story take this rapid turn of events. It just sort of happened? Before he wasn't going to be much of a main character, but now he is.

Random Reader: Me?? Talented?? . OMG, thankyew??!! I made you cry?! REALLY?! YESSSS!! I mean…oh…how awful. Hehe…actually, this is the sort of thing I try to do with my writing: make the reader feel different emotions. I hope to get another review from you again!! :D!!

Tiger5913: Yah, but that was only the first chapter that had that sort of content. So I decided that making it PG-13 wouldn't really be necessary XD But thank you for your suggestion :D!

Gaara of the Sands: [glomp glomp!!] Yes, poor Shobi is. I luv boys with tortured pasts. That's like…the air I breathe X3. AAh. ARE YOU GLAD?! I FINALLY UPDATED!! :deviantart slap: X3

Innocent Thief: Haha. My brain made a crappy alternate ending, so I didn't upload it here x.x;;;

Kali Lestrange: Hmm…I'll try :D!

yamitamashii: Yes…cliffhangers are very tragic, in fact! Those questions…I actually can't reveal the answers to you. X3 I'm trying to make this work, but it's rather hard. BUT, yes, Sesshoumaru's eyes DID become unpupilized!! X3

drake220: Hehe, I had to do something with Kagura XD I just love her so much. But yah, Shobi's behind is gonna get some fixin' X3.

MizuCrystal: Yes, sort of he is. He's not FULLY dead, as Enraimaru mentioned. Yes, Rin yelled out Sesshoumaru's name. I'm not breaking any rules XO!!! The chapter answered most of your questions, if not all o.O;

choco-coco: Weak limbs? Ehee?? pokes you Are you like rubber??!! X3. That's what I wanted :D (not YOU specifically, but that's what I wanted that chapter to do to people) Is it Naraku?/!! No. Naraku's dead. D:. I like him too. But hate him at the same time. And TRUST me…he's nothing like Sesshoumaru. NOTHING!

Nani-Nadja: Waaah! THAT'S MY SISTER'S NAME!! X3. Nadja. Ah…you hate cliffhangers this much…really?? ee;; I like…make them all the time…This chapter answered your question :D Haha. You were glued to the screen until the A/N, heh X3. Well…don't kill me again XDXD Yes, see! Killing is bad! I wouldn't be able to update XD

Galandria the Vampire Queen: This chapter answered your questions :D!

vegita-dias: OMG!! YOU STAY SAFE!! THE HURRICANES ARE BEYOND AWFUL NOW AND YOU PROBABLY AREN'T READING THIS RIGHT NOW!! My aunt had to be evacuated TT SO YOU STAY SAFE!! [glomp glomp] STAY SUPER SAFE!! You liked Sesshoumaru's anguis?? … :3…Me too XD. That's okay, I don't care HOW long it takes for you to review! But I always love your reviews!

Dogiegurl26: You know, you saying that…I really appreciate that. I really do. Because lately on , I've been so angered because the qualities and original plots of stories have just…declined. In fact, I was really feeling discouraged to write. Your review just made me so happy when I first read it. Thank you so much. [hug]

Zircon: Sankyou for the heads up. Yah, I myself belief that it's not his tail. Hnh…I wonder why I wrote tail o.o;; Oopsie XD But hah, you got in your review right before I updated XDXD. Awesome timing. But now I wonder if I mentioned 'tail' anywhere in this chapter. ee;; I hope not. If I did, that's an automatic correction to call it just his 'honourable-status-marking-fur-thing' XD!

TinckerBell: Okay, I REALLY was about to update, but then I got your review too!! OMG, YAY!!! XD Reviews make meh su happy XD And yes, Sesshoumaru has an awsum name :D

And thank you also to Tiff, What a scene, TheTrueSilver, Meganium Girl, Lynn-Minmay, Corporate Lullabies, Rachel, kawaii ish for your reviews!! I LOVE YOU ALL! :D!! Now…I must leave X3 And start off on **Clouds that Fall**. Yes…I am making a subliminal message X3. Except…it's not subliminal at all. Go read **Clouds that Fall**…

v

Review Please. :3


	12. Chapter 11: A Breath of Winter

**A/N: **Haha...I'm dead tired right now o.o; I have like the easiest school schedule, but I'm still always tired XD Ah well. I see that you guys...didn't quite like my cliff hanger o.O; Well, please, wait no longer, for I have the next chapter up. Ha, I win against quick edit this time. :D! Those dots after every paragraph is just for better spacing...cuz I'm such a cheater :3

–

**Silent Echoes**

-

**VIII**

"Fear no more the heat o' th' sun  
Nor the furious winters' rages;  
Thou thy worldly task hast done,  
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages.  
Golden lads and girls all must,  
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

¨

Fear no more the lightning flash,  
Nor th' all-dreaded thunder stone;  
Fear not slander, censure rash;  
Thou hast finished joy and moan.  
All lovers young, all lovers must  
Consign to thee and come to dust"

—William Shakespeare's _Cymbeline, s_ung by Loreena McKennitt

–

**Chapter 12: _A Breath of Winter_**

_**-**_

Enraimaru's wide eyes switched from left to right as he breathed loudly. "Wh...what have you done?!" he asked.

¨

Rin breathed in raucously, her inhalation like a sickly old man's; and she shut her eyes, coughing out deep, red blood. Turning her gaze upward to stare into Shobi's hardened eyes, she responded, "I will—" she shivered and forced out her next word, "_not_...allow you to kill Sesshoumaru-sama."

¨

"You would _maim_ yourself for this unworthy—"

¨

Without waiting for Enraimaru to complete his sentence, Rin pushed out a firm "I would!", shaking her head. She was frightened that she would die. Absolutely frightened. The blood would not stop pouring, and she could taste the tangy metal of it in her mouth.

¨

Kagura cursed quietly. "I can't move..." she whispered to herself, watching in dismay as blood poured from the side of Rin's neck. "That girl..." she mumbled shakily, letting her eyes fall upon the motionless Sesshoumaru. She felt something within her tear as easily as a finger would break apart a mere spider's web. The feeling trailed into her eyes.

¨

Biting her lower lip, Kagura took a long blink, hoping endlessly that the feeling would dissipate. Her ears began to tickle, and then she knew that it was inevitable. Everything was just falling apart. Looking again to life seeping from Rin, her mouth became hot, the saliva in her mouth as thick as heated oil.

¨

She blinked once more, and then again, and her head felt heavy. Another blink. She would not. Her throat constricted. Blinking again, she cursed Enraimaru silently, wishing she had will to move as Rin had just done. Unable to contain the feeling, she shut her eyes and allowed the foreign, hot tears to roll upon her cheeks. She coughed. "Rin..." she drawled loudly and scraggily as her eyebrows tipped upward, her usual voice lost somewhere other than her throat.

¨

She bit her lower lip once more, her facial features turning a deep red. It was far too tragic.

¨

Enraimaru smirked seconds after recovering from the shock. Pulling the dagger backwards gently, Rin's hand followed his motion, and she winced in pain. "Look how your blood fuses, Rin," he said smugly. "For a short while there, you had me thinking that I had stabbed you _fatally_." He smirked once more.

¨

Rin's fingers prickled at the sensation, and she knew that she had damaged something by taking that daring move. Twisting her neck slightly to catch a glimpse of her lord, Rin nearly let out a horrified scream. The blood seeped through his clothing far too close to his heart for comfort.

¨

"You had probably hoped, Rin, that you would have been able to at least steer the dagger away from his heart by taking the brunt with your hand, no?" Enraimaru asked, watching Rin's expressions change. "Unfortunately for me, you were quite successful. I was _so_ close, too!" he said with a whiney tone. "But, I won't be as light this time. I wanted you as my mate, Rin, but if you so wish to die with your lord, I cannot stop you."

¨

Rin let out a soft scream of pain as Enraimaru raised the dagger and twisted it slightly, the weapon still embedded in her palm. The blood poured from the large wound, and Rin began to tremble from the loss. She coughed once more. "Please stop..." she begged Enraimaru softly. Her eyes turned red once more from the scorching heat of her tears. "Please..."

¨

"I will let your tears and blood merge with his, Rin." Enraimaru's gaze turned from her eyes to the silver-haired youkai. He leered and thinned his eyes. Ignoring Rin's pained howl as he pulled the dagger higher, he plunged it forward again.

¨

Rin's reaction was too quick for her mind to assess, but when she opened her eyes, she gasped out in pain, watching as more blood quilted Shobi's—no, she could no longer think of this man as Shobi; he was Enraimaru through and through—Enraimaru's face and clothes.

¨

"Ri—Rin...!" Jaken managed to yell through his pain. He knew that at any moment, the searing pain that Enraimaru put him through would cause him to pass out. He felt that yelling Rin's name just now and screaming it just moments earlier had put too much exertion on him, and everything turned dark quickly.

¨

-

¨

The image of Rin began to quickly take more form. She blinked and cocked her head to the side, breaking into a smile. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

¨

What a false phantasm. Rin did not speak.

¨

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" she yelled once more. Her expression faded into a grim one. She bit on her upper lip, the stuck her tongue onto it as if anxious. "Sesshoumaru-sama...left me." She paused and turned her back to him. "Can I forgive you for doing this...?"

-

Coughing once more, Rin breathed out forcefully, her whole body feeling light and shaking as if she were a leaf's stem, trying to hang onto a branch during late fall. She nearly lost her footing but corrected it with a slight shift of her leg. The crimson life force pattered onto her forehead thickly and trailed onto her eyes. Her arms shook weakly, and it took every ounce of force within her to stay upright.

¨

"You...are beginning to irk me, _woman_," Enraimaru growled roughly. He stared at Rin and quelled his surprise when she gave him a weak smile.

¨

"When Sesshoumaru-sama awakens," Rin started with her smile—a mouth stained with blood—, her cheeks tapering her eyes and her voice weak, "I want him to know that both of my hands protected him, that my blood was shed for him."

¨

"'When'?" Enraimaru asked. "What do you mean 'When'? Don't you understand?! You have _lost_! It's _over_!" he scoffed.

¨

Rin bit her lower lip and slowly, but painfully pulled her other hand out of the dagger. It throbbed, becoming a slight tint of red-purple, and bled copiously. Her other hand remained in the blade of the dagger. "Enraimaru—" Her bloody hand fell on his jaw-line and she gave a gentle smile.

¨

By now, the sun was settled into its fitful rest and the moon took it's place in the heavens, the sky still a few shades of bluing colours. The woodlands had turned quiet, as if all eyes and ears were paying unbroken attention to the scene. A cold breeze passed through and seemed to '_whooo_' and wail into the night sky. The heavy breathing before Rin, Enraimaru, Kagura, and lastly Jaken was captured by a mist, Sesshoumaru's breaths hardly noticeable.

¨

The sky fissured, and the first pale child of winter fell solitarily from the darkness. It came early this year. The flake danced in the air, descending nearer to the earth. It's presence became known as it drifted between Rin and Enraimaru.

¨

"Do you truly love me?" Rin finished after the snowflake passed.

¨

Enraimaru blinked and then opened his mouth. Had his words been caught by the mist when he had breathed out? Or had the snowflake that fell danced a forbidden dance and lulled his words onto the ground with it? He blinked once more and moved his mouth, his eyebrows curving. Breathing out once more and letting the air capture his breath in a small cloud, he found his words when the next snowflake fell, sucking in his breath. "Yes."

¨

Rin's smile softened very slightly, and she moved the numb fingers on his jaw slightly. The blood had nearly frozen on his face, fusing her hand to his jaw. "...Truly?"

¨

"Yes," he answered without hesitation this time.

¨

"And would you do _anything_ for the one you loved, Enraimaru?" Rin asked softly, looking up at him.

¨

'...What is she implying...?' Kagura thought, shivering from the cold. She gasped suddenly. "Could it be that Rin...loves...Sesshoumaru...?" she whispered to herself.

¨

"...I would," Enraimaru started. He began to relieve the force he had on the dagger. "Without fail."

¨

"And without hesitation?" Rin pleaded.

¨

"Yes."

¨

"Please, then, Enraimaru..." Rin began. She shivered and the blood that seeped from her mouth began to freeze. "Do something for the one you...love." Enraimaru stared at her with eyes that seemed to say, 'Tell me! Anything! It'll be done!'. "You are pained. And it has driven you to unbridled anger.

¨

"And I do not think that those of your village would have wanted you to react in such a way, Enraimaru. I do not think that those of your village would have wanted you to be so evil, to do such evil, and use your good gift for such wicked schemes."

¨

Enraimaru mumbled a curse. Had he not said minutes before that Rin's words meant nothing to him? But now, her words were soothing to his ears, warm as fire in this cold winter.

¨

"Please depart from Shobi-san's body, Enraimaru, and finally rest," Rin finished. "This is what I want your love to do for me." The sound of her frozen fingers ripping away from his skin echoed into the quiet. Her fingers fell to his chest. "You must hurt here...very deeply."

¨

"Why do you do this?" Enraimaru asked. She intrigued him.

¨

Rin's hand fell to her heart, and she instantly felt a painful jolt within her. "Because..." she paused, "I..."

¨

'No! Don't say it!' Kagura thought. 'You'll only anger him more!'

¨

"I love Sesshoumaru-sama..." Whether it was from the cold or not, Rin's pale cheeks were touched with a frail stroke of pinkness.

¨

"I'll kill you both!" Enraimaru yelled angrily, turning the gentle moment into a whirlpool of anger. He did not let Rin's pained shriek break past his eardrums when he pulled the dagger from her other hand, knowing full well that her blood had nearly frozen and melded with the blade. Pushing her back forcefully against Sesshoumaru, he raised the dagger above his head again. A feeling welled within him, and he gave a quick shiver.

¨

Rin shivered and faced her lord, tightening her fingers onto his clothing.

¨

"Ri—Rin!" Kagura yelled out. "Rin!"

¨

Unable to think of anything to do, Rin whimpered, waiting for the impact that would seal her life. Her eyes turned upward and she stared at Sesshoumaru. His unbearably thin eyes stared back at her lifelessly. Her whimper turned into a soft outcry. She could do _nothing_ to save him! "Sesshoumaru-sama..." she drawled.

¨

All thought processes seemed to come to a slow freeze, and all that could be heard was the slight shift of Enraimaru's feet and the wind whishing as the blade broke through the air. Kagura could not stand to watch.

¨

It seemed like an eternity and more passed, and Rin could only think of one thing: Sesshoumaru—when he scorned her, when he brought her back to life, when he saved her multiple times, when he gave her the choice of staying in a human village, but she stayed with him instead; when he left her, and now, when he came back

¨

The thoughts rushed in, and Rin placed her head on his chest, bearing the pain of the protruding branches that wrapped around him. She listened to his soft heartbeat. She let out a soft sob and bit her bottom lip. She had no way to save him, nor did Sesshoumaru have any way to save her. This was the end.

¨

It was really the end...

-

Facing Sesshoumaru once more, Rin smiled. "Of course I can forgive you, Sesshoumaru-sama." She gave a soft giggle.

¨

"I am waiting for you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

¨

"I am waiting."

¨

"Forever."

-

The winds gave a low murmur, and the flakes of snow began to drape the ground. Whatever was left of the leaves fell along with the flakes in a unified dance of death. All was quiet as the seconds passed infinitely slow. The silence became so silent that it could cause ears to bleed, the wind so blistering cold that it was like a blazing fire touching the skin, and the moment so slow that it seemed as if everything had come to a halt.

¨

A soft drone slightly touched the wind—horrifying and deathly—and the flakes of snow began to drift toward the ground at a faster pace, as if the droning were the earth beckoning to the sky for snow. The horrific droning quickly turned into a strong hum, and the snow piled onto the ground. The hum evolved into a soft melody, bitten down by the fleeing gales.

¨

Rin's melody.

¨

The wordless melody hit all ears, strong and sure. It was as if a fire burned through the sky, touching the listener's ears and warming them. It was like a handful of fresh, sweet water on a fine afternoon. Unlike the day or night, Rin's melody did not break.

¨

Enraimaru paused instantly, the blade of his dagger drawing out a fraction of blood from Rin's back. She flinched, but the melody kept on with unwavering strength. Enraimaru's hand quivered and then stilled, repeating this a few times.

¨

Kagura opened her eyes and stared before her in shock. This song..., this voice..., she had heard sometime ago of a strange forest creature that was able to quell the anger of any youkai. Had this forest creature been..._Rin_...all this time? She could not doubt it, for she felt that all of her anger toward Enraimaru had flowed from her and fell to the ground with the flakes of snow.

¨

It was replaced with a warm feeling within her, and a calming sense.

¨

Enraimaru gave a quick shiver, and finally he stood straight. He blinked hard and stared at the white ground, his eyes switching from one direction every so often as his thought process change. Pulling the dagger back, he tapped it against his free hand, biting his lip in frustration. "...Why...?" he asked aloud.

¨

He stared up at Rin's figure as she held onto her Lord. "...Why can't I kill you...?" he asked desperately. "Why can't I hate you more?" He watched her sing, and his eyes felt hot, his tongue swollen, his throat throbbed, his ears stung. He breathed out roughly. Something hot descended onto his cheek and quickly turned into ice. And then he felt nothing.

¨

He felt airborne again. He watched as Shobi's body fell onto the cold ground with a loud thud. Kagura stared with wide eyes at the scene the played before her. She finally understood everything. This man had been possessed by a mononoke.

¨

Rin heard the loud thud and she turned around, her melody coming to a halt. "Sho...Shobi-san..." she murmured softly, bending down and looking up at the mononoke. It was disappearing. "Enraimaru," she started, "please leave in peace..."

¨

"Peace?" said the mononoke, Enraimaru as he began to disappear. "I never 'leave' without first touching someone with my mark." At the words, both Shobi and Sesshoumaru began to shiver. "You have two days, Rin, to choose between one of the two starting at this very moment."

¨

Rin breathed out desperately, her lip quivering. The pain within her chest roared throughout her body.

¨

"All you have to do—" Enraimaru continued to disappear, "is give one a simple kiss. This is the pain of having two whom you love."

¨

Rin bit on her lip.

¨

"Think wisely, Rin," he warned. "The one you kiss will return to normalcy. The one you reject will remain in the condition for mere minutes, and will then die a painful death."

¨

Rin stared at the black sky. He was gone.

¨

Kagura felt her leg twitch and become hot with pain, and she then realized that she could move. Standing up slowly, her legs shook, and she had to take a step so that she would not fall. She watched as Rin stood. "Rin...!" she yelled out softly. She took a step forward, and another, and finally reached Rin. "Rin you heard him!"

¨

She shook Rin's shoulders and pushed her toward Sesshoumaru. This could have been less difficult if it had been that Rin loved only one of the two. But even so, she knew that deep within her, she loved the both of them. It would be so wrong in her heart if she were to choose one over the other. She turned to Sesshoumaru and shivered, clicking her tongue in anxiety. She then turned over to Shobi.

¨

"What are you doing, Rin?" Kagura asked angrily. "You heard him!"

¨

"But what if he's lying!?" Rin asked unsurely, using the question as an excuse.

¨

"And what if it's true?" Kagura retorted. "Just do it," Kagura urged. "You said that you love Sesshoumaru. I heard it with my own ears." She paused, noting the way Rin stared down at Shobi. "...Wait..." she breathed deeply. "You don't...not him too..."

¨

Rin bit on her bottom lip, staring at Kagura desperately. "...I...cannot decide what to do..."

¨

"You...can't decide...?" Kagura asked slowly. She blinked. A torrent of anger rushed through her and trailed into her fingers. The next she knew, her hand print was on Rin's cheek and the girl stumbled back. "What are you saying?!"

¨

Rin grabbed her sore cheek and shook her head. It was too hard. It was too hard to decide. She looked at Sesshoumaru again, and then at Shobi. "Ntch..." she clicked her tongue. "Now I know how he felt..."

¨

"He who?" Kagura asked.

¨

"Inuyasha no ji-san. It must have been...so painful for him to choose between Kagome-sama and Kikyou-sama..." she mumbled, biting on her finger. "And I think he made the wrong decision..." She looked up at Kagura. "Which is why it is so difficult—"

¨

She felt another sting on her cheek and stared up at Kagura's stern face. She pushed past her and ran weakly. "Please...I do not want to have to choose!" she yelled.

¨

"Rin!" Kagura called out. "Rin!!"

¨

The frozen tears of the sky burned the soles of her feet as she ran. There was Shobi, and there was Sesshoumaru. She watched the snow fall, and suddenly the thought hit her as she continued to take more steps. She could first bring Sesshoumaru to reality...and then she would ask him to bring Shobi back with Tensuseiga!

¨

It was an infallible plan, but it still posed the question of what she would do afterwards. She felt a throng of pain on her foot, and could feel the hotness of her blood pour from what seemed to be a wide gash.

¨

She slowed down and looked back.

¨

A piece of metal shone in the moonlight, peaking from under the snow. She felt as if her heart would stop, and her breath was tight within her chest. Taking a few steps toward the shining metal and bending down onto her knees, she wiped the snow from the metal, wincing when the sharp metal cut her fingers.

¨

The shock from the sight made her stand up and take a step back. Curving her eyebrows inward in confusion, Rin bent down once more and picked up the sharp, heavy blade, her fingers getting cut. She saw the whole sword. '...Ten...suseiga...?' she thought.

¨

It was definitely Tensuseiga...

¨

But it could not be Tensuseiga.

¨

"...Tensuseiga...should not be able to cut flesh..." Rin whispered to herself. Her eyes grew hot with tears. What happened? Everything seemed hopeless now.

¨

She would really have to choose. She dropped the sword and brought her fingers to her mouth in horror.

¨

Why was Tensuseiga's blade cutting her?

-

**A/N: **Ah...o.o; bad stuff here. No, Tensuseiga's not broken. That would be copying the ever wonderful No More Words. It's just...cutting, which it shouldn't, but there's a reason, and we'll find out. Eh heh...This story is definitely not going to be only 3 more chapters. It's going to be at least 5 more chapters o.o; I hope you'll enjoy it to the end! :D!! Review responses:

anhimals: Haha, he hasn't woken up yet TDT. And yes, I do care about my reviewers o.o;

Random Reader: Oh yah, well he's was pacified :D. By Rin :D! That's only because Rin rawx o.o

FortySeventhLight: No, no...I just like to have my readers squirm a little bit XD. No harm in that XD

Hechiichaaan: Aha, obviously you still haven't caught the ahem or else you would have mentioned it to me. ARGH...PEOPLE...READ MY CHAPTER WELL!

Suna no Gaara: OMG, she didn't kill herself. Dun' jump to conclusions like that o.o;;

Aura-serenity4: ......e.e;; :D...I'm supposing you like this ficcy? o.O;

Dogiegurl26: Ah, don't worry. I understand what you're saying 100 That's really what I want to happen to the reader. If he or she feels that he knows the characters personally, or can actually feel their pain, then I've accomplished a good bit of my task. Thank you so much for your comment. It was so encouraging :D

aku-neko: Yah, I really do hate it when a character is like, "I was born in a li'l village prematurely and they just KNEW I was going to be speshal. And then....AND THEN....blah blah" It's rather annoying, so I wanted to make it rather concise :D Of COURSE Sesshou didn't possess Shobi! That's like...no...just no...

drake220: ah, you made perfect sense :D. I understood what you were saying all the way. I mean, I wanted to make it seem obvious that Rin would jump the gun and put her life on the line, but I wanted it to be sort of...interesting the way she did it. Thank you so much for your comment because at least you pointed out secretly to me the hardships of writing ;.;

snow-puff1204: If you go back and read chapter...9, I think, in the middle of the chapter is the conversation with Jaken and Kaede. The mononoke that she mentions is Enraimaru.

Vegita-dias: I don't care how long it took you to actually review o.o; as long as you manage to review before I update the next chapter, I'm always happy :D. Haha, of course Rin got hurt, and of course I would torture you guys. It's like...my job as an authouress. You do the same thing too, you know o.O; Aha...I remember that time. (things back to it) Good times...good times. No, I'm only kidding XD Thanks for reviewing!!

And also thanks to Galandria the Vampire Queen, Chibi-Sorrow, Areine, yamitamashii, kawaii-ish, Charmed18, Tiff, Zircon, RabidAnimeGurl, Kali Lestrange, Lynn-Minmay, and lastly Innocent Theif thank you all for your reviews!! They made me super happy. Now...I'm rather sleepy, so I'm off to bed o.o;


	13. Chapter 12: Resolve

**A/N**: Here I am, once again trying to pick up. I really _do_ apologize for the irregularity. I truthfully have no excuse other than laziness for not updating this fic. To treat you patient people for such an inconceivable long wait, this chapter is long.

–

**Silent Echoes **

**  
**

**΅ **

**  
**

When was it that death,

And only death, had become

As destructive as the day one was born?

The messengers of death see to it

That no one is left behind.

They, together with Fate,

Make a path of destruction for man

From his time of birth.

And how they rejoice

When he has walked right in it

**  
**

_-_

**Chapter 12:_Resolve _**

**  
**

**΅ **

**  
**

Within Rin burst a torrent of terror, and her breath was instantly seized from her lungs as if pushed out forcefully. She gave an involuntary lurch forward until her knees touched the cold earth once more, shaking uncontrollably. She reached forward, her eyes wide with disbelief, and finally stroked the cold blade again, hoping against all things unpleasant that the sword would be as it was before. Her heart pulsated within her chest, but it seemed to her as if the loud thumping were ubiquitous.

**  
**

Grabbing onto the intricate hilt of the sword while suppressing a gasping hiss, Rin slowly stood straight and stared at the weapon. Her fingers painfully wavered in the air for an exhausted amount time before she realized that the two men she loved were dying at this very moment. Time was not on her side, she figured, but she would fight against it as if fighting against Fate itself. The tips of her fingers touched the blade once more.

**  
**

At first, Rin felt no pain. Running her finger down the sharp end of the blade drew blood forward after seconds, though, and she bit her lip in bitter denial. She felt her heart stop momentarily, and tremors trailed through her limbs as she leaned forward and gave a strained, painful cough. She could taste the iron of the blood coating her lips.

**  
**

If this was the case, if it indeed were true that this blade, that this Tensuseiga, was cutting her flesh, then all strategies were foiled. Turning back with sword still in hand, she emptily retraced her steps until she was at the clearing where everyone laid either still or in anxiety.

**  
**

"Rin…!" Kagura exclaimed as soon as her eyes caught sight of the girl tottering weakly toward the small clearing. Moving away from the prone Sesshoumaru, she leaned toward Rin, jumping up to action when the girl fell to her knees with Tensuseiga in hand. Her footsteps grew slower as she stared at the sword until finally she came to a complete stop.

**  
**

The wind youkai turned her glowing red eyes to Rin's hands and foot, which were covered with dark, freezing blood. She looked at the soiled sword again and finally locked eyes with Rin. With no exchange of words, she came to know of Rin's find. "…Why…?" she asked desperately, confusion grasping at her thoughts.

**  
**

"I had decided…" Rin began softly as she stared distractedly past Kagura, "that I would first revive Sesshoumaru-sama…"

**  
**

The words that left Rin's lips instantly boiled the dirt and grime of Kagura worries. She gave a permissive nod, but paused as it seemed that Rin wanted to say more.

**  
**

"Yet," Rin continued, "the last thing I want is for Shobi-san to die. I want to see no one die. I had thought of asking of Sesshoumaru to revive Shobi-san instantaneously if it came to be that he died. And from there, I would choose." In the midst of Rin's speaking, her voice had become very faint and tremulous. "Tensuseiga has chosen to revolt against Sesshoumaru-sama." Before a tear could reach her lips, it froze, shining in the moonlight.

**  
**

A stirring and then a moan behind Kagura jolted Rin out of her thoughts, and she realized with horror that she had forgotten all about Jaken. About to move forward, Rin was smitten with an unbearable pain in her chest. She cried out softly and ignored the pain, running toward her mentor. "Jaken-sama…!" she said softly, shaking the shivering youkai with her free hand.

**  
**

Kagura turned to Rin for a few seconds before setting her eyes once again upon the dying youkai at the side. Her feet pattered in the snow as she neared him, bending down once more to get a closer look at him. Her cold fingers touched his heated forehead, brushing away his shorter locks.

**  
**

Jaken was fully awake in mere seconds after Rin's shoves. At first, he screamed out blindly to Sesshoumaru in a dazed stupor. As the seconds drew nearer to minutes, though, he somewhat calmed. Rin blocked his view of Sesshoumaru with her body.

**  
**

"Rin…! What happened?" Jaken asked as he was about to stand. A clatter on the ground caught his attention, and no sooner did a gasp come from his mouth. "Tensuseiga!" he yelled in shock. Incoherent words dribbled forth from his lips until finally he was able to yell out, "Is that blood!"

**  
**

"My blood," Rin answered hastily, lowering her head to Jaken's level. Her hands were throbbing, the pain of being stabbed by Enraimaru's thrusts finally settling in. "Tensuseiga cut me, Jaken. There is a curse upon both Sesshoumaru-sama and Shobi-san." She would have said more, but Jaken's absentness greatly disturbed her. His lips were moving as he spoke incoherently, his eyes were troubled, and his green skin was as pale as white was pure.

**  
**

"Jaken-sama…?" she asked. "There is no time to panic, Jaken-sama!" She shook the youkai, biting back the pain that shot through her arms. "Sesshoumaru-sama will die, as will Shobi-san!"

**  
**

"Rin! Tensuseiga is gone, void! Do you not know what this means?" he yelled in dread. "It means that Sesshoumaru-sama…" he paused and then locked his troubled yellow eyes with Rin's piercing brown ones. He spoke softer. "Sesshoumaru-sama will die. Curse or no."

**  
**

"What do you mean…?" Rin asked, feeling suddenly weaker than before. "Why? Why will Sesshoumaru-sama die?"

**  
**

Jaken slowly began to recall the words of Bokusenou: _"There may be chance that…Rin has indeed begun to allow her heart to turn aside from Sesshoumaru-sama and to this human instead. If she entirely lends him her heart, it will be deadly. On both of their parts." _The words were dreadful and droning in his mind. "Rin…tell me the truth," he began.

**  
**

Rin stared at him in question, but she knew not to go against his words. It seemed imperative that he get out his next point.

**  
**

"Have you lent your heart to another?" Jaken smoothly asked in a calm manner.

**  
**

The question dealt a strong blow to Rin. It took a short amount of time for the words to truly break through and settle into her mind. "I…" she stuttered. "I did not want…I…" She bit her lip in frustration, and the begging look in Jaken's eyes for her to say 'No.' was too much for her. Yielding to the realization of the truth, she answered 'Yes' in what little a voice as a child being chided by her parents.

**  
**

Rin wanted to take back her answer after Jaken's reaction, which was a disappointed sigh. He stared at her with eyes that seemed to say, 'All is lost.' He started, "You are no doubt confused, Rin."

**  
**

Swallowing hard, Rin gave a nod. "There is something I should know, is there not?" she asked surely, knowing that Jaken would say yes.

**  
**

"A secret kept even from Sesshoumaru-sama himself about Tensuseiga." He would have said more, but Rin interrupted him.

**  
**

"Jaken-sama…, the two need to be inside a quarter," Rin reasoned. "This secret—relay it to me when they are safe from this weather."

**  
**

Jaken nodded, and Rin could not help but notice that he was strangely calm, as if, even though these were circumstances that he did not want to face, he knew that they were inevitable.

**  
**

The two were shocked out of their conversation as Kagura gave a loud, startled yelp, her hand on her mouth. She looked over at the two of them quickly with wide eyes, her hair a bit frayed. They looked at her questionably. "I just thought…" she began, her words muffled slightly by her hand. "I wanted to see if…"

**  
**

Rin and Jaken's eyes fell almost instantly on Sesshoumaru, and the two noticed that his lips gave off a slight glow. Rin shuffled toward her lord and bent down in front of him. Her fingers gently touched his lips and the glow dulled until it was no longer there.

**  
**

It shocked Kagura to say the least. Just minutes ago, she had reached for Sesshoumaru's lips as well, surprised to find that it glowed slightly. But painfully so, there was a little shock that had gone through her fingers. Yet, drawn in, she had bent forward to wisp her lips against his, but had been shocked even more so.

**  
**

"He is repelling anyone else's touch," Kagura stated. "But obviously not yours, Rin." She seemed shocked.

**  
**

At the statement, Rin turned back to Sesshoumaru and stared at his features. Though his features were gentle, the evident pain that he was going through made him all the more beautiful. His face was contorted very softly in a mess of wrinkles, but she had never in her life seen the lord as beautiful as he was at the moment. His cheeks gave off a frail touch of peachiness while the rest of his facial appearance remained pale.

**  
**

It was enchanting.

**  
**

She lowered until she was mere inches from his face, her fingers inadvertently tracing the contours or his face, touching softly at his matted hair. A frozen drop fell onto his face, jolting her from the moment of respite.

**  
**

Rin looked at her protector for another short while before she turned back to Jaken and Kagura. "The weather right now is against us, we must get back to the village." Jaken nodded in agreement, and Kagura flashed her fan open.

**  
**

"The winds have quite a chill…" Kagura murmured softly.

**  
**

"Kagura-san," Rin started, "if you may…" Rin pointed at the feather in Kagura's hair, remembering that the simple ornament was actually a mode of travel. "It will be able to transport us." It was a mere suggestion, but Kagura caught on very quickly.

**  
**

"Right," Kagura noted. "And this would be the fastest way, anyway." At that, she, Rin, and Jaken set themselves about the task of putting the one they worshipped onto the light mover.

**  
**

When Rin was sure that her lord was on there safely, she turned back to Shobi and tugged on him. Turning around after noticing that she was the only one aiding him onto the feather, she stared at Jaken and Kagura. "Ano…" she started, "we still have to put Shobi-san on…"

**  
**

Kagura crossed her arms as she glared at the young man. "I never said anything about bringing _that_ human to the village. I can care less about him."

**  
**

Rin was instantly struck with exasperation at the statement from Kagura, and she could not help but feel that the wind youkai was thoroughly crooked. "Kagura-san!" Rin yelled. Her lips bit forth words, but nothing could be heard.

**  
**

"I'm not going to waste space here for _him_," Kagura said, scowling at Shobi's prone body. "My concern only lies with Sesshoumaru here." She pointed to Sesshoumaru with her fan.

**  
**

Rin looked in desperation at Jaken. The green ghoul kept quiet and turned away.

**  
**

"…Kagura-san," Rin started. "I know that you had a cruel master who you were forced to follow, so I realize that common courtesy is beyond you at times. But—" Rin paused and shifted toward Shobi, bending on her haunches as she placed her hands on his chest. "A panda would not take one of its cubs and leave the other to die. Not even a tiger would abandon her young. Certainly you have more heart in you than a mere animal. Or is it true that most youkai, if not all, have a heart shielded with stone?"

**  
**

Kagura glared at Rin. That girl was far too good with her words than she probably knew. Debating on whether she would debase herself or not by disallowing Shobi space, she finally gave a grumble and got off of the feather. Turning toward Jaken, she mumbled, "You're not going to let this _human_ prove us youkai wrong, are you?" she asked.

**  
**

"My allegiance is only to Sesshoumaru-sama," the green youkai stated.

**  
**

"I'm not going to move if you don't help," Kagura said as she closed her fan. The words acted quickly on the youkai, and he shuffled from the feather and helped both her and Rin to place Shobi on the feather.

**  
**

If not seconds after a hard struggle for Rin's aching hands, she was on the feather, her fingers wrapping around the small follicles as Kagura lifted into the air and sped toward the village.

**  
**

**  
**

Before entering the core of the village, Rin jumped off the feather after having asked Kagura to lower it. With time quickly flitting by as quickly as the wind, she ran toward Kaede's dwelling, passing by field workers getting the last of their harvest before the true harshness of winter came along. "Kaede-sama!" she bellowed as she neared a familiar, homey hut. She tumbled up the few steps and banged on the shoji door.

**  
**

When no response came from behind the door, Rin breathed in deeply to let out another holler. Instead, she bent forward in nausea, her fingers numbing and her palms bloody again from the energy of her run. She planted one of her hands against her abdomen, wincing as her other hand found its place on the frame of the dwelling. She breathed haggardly, not taking to notice Kaede's coming. "Kaede-sama," she murmured weakly.

**  
**

The door slid a fraction, and Kaede's eyes were trained far beyond the person on the porch and instead on a gathering crowd a few metres away. "_What is it_?" Kaede asked in annoyance as she looked forward still, her attention slowly falling on the heavily breathing person in front of her. "Dear child, why are you fretting?" The question was laden still with snippiness.

**  
**

Kaede's eye widened as the girl began to look up. Unbelieving at first, she looked from side to side to see if anyone else was there. "Rin…?" she asked.

**  
**

Rin coughed, her frail body taken over by the simple, involuntary act. A sip of blood dribbled down her pale chin, and her body heaved in a forward motion. The old woman had barely enough time to react, stumbling back and catching the weakened girl. Rin looked up weakly to finally take in Kaede's shocked face. "Kaede-sama…"

**  
**

If the old woman's ears had not been so close to Rin, she wouldn't be able to catch the words. Kaede jerked back in surprise as Rin's cheeks became drenched with unrelenting tears. "Rin…" she mumbled in shock.

**  
**

"If there was anything at all that I needed of you most, Kaede-sama," Rin started between quick breaths, unable to make a full sentence without being overcome with pain. She would have continued, but Kaede's probing fingers found way to her throat, grasping at her chin painfully moments later.

**  
**

"You speak?" Kaede asked.

**  
**

Rin continued as if she had not been at all interrupted: "It would be that you follow me without question." With those few words, Rin unraveled her fingers from the woman's white top and pulled away. Kaede stared at her chest, blood having stained the pure white top from both of Rin's hands.

**  
**

Kaede concurred to the girl's words instantly, being led off by a stumbling and evidently frail Rin. She could not take her eyes from every teeter and trip that Rin made as she herself hobbled behind the girl, but was finally pulled out of her confusion when she realized that the small group she had before seen grew considerably larger.

**  
**

The snow continued to descend on the villagers and on the last of the harvest, and Kaede could not help but wonder _why_ these people were willing to ail themselves in the cold weather. She could at first hear a murmur of the crowd, and as they began to near, Rin moaned and whimpered.

**  
**

"You…youkai…" murmured a woman near the back of the crowd, her sleeves brought to her mouth in pale horror. She shook evidently from the cold, but Kaede suspected something more as she neared.

**  
**

Rin stumbled past the woman, and past another.

**  
**

"They killed Shobi…!" It was a youthful voice; and a mewl was soon to follow.

**  
**

"Killed…?" Kaede asked with her eye widening again. She _knew_ that something had been terribly awry when Rin _spoke_ to her.

**  
**

"Please let me pass," Rin struggled as she muttered too softly. She felt a jolt of pressure on her shoulder, but did not let the pain establish itself enough to distract her.

**  
**

"Shobi was killed by these youkai, and you have led them right to us!" A scythe was raised in the air by the owner of the voice, slicing the silence of the crowd.

**  
**

Uproar was quick to ensue from his agitating words. Rin was jostled and pulled at, emitting nothing more than a short mewl until she was in the front of the crowd, pushed against the floating feather.

**  
**

Kagura's face was clouded with a boredom that could have been easily mistaken for aggression. Her arms crossed defensively over her chest, she stared down quickly at Rin before thinning her eyes at those of the crowd.

**  
**

"I did no such thing," Rin spoke, ardor in her voice. Eyes widened and gasps tore though the crowd. "I would never think of doing something so foul to a people that have cared for me dearly."

**  
**

Silence once again found its place in the crowd, blanketing the people in confusion.

**  
**

"Rin-san lied to Yukizo?" A girl murmured as she stepped toward Rin. Her fingers twiddled about in anxiety, as she looked downward.

**  
**

Rin bit her bottom lip as a new jolt of pain settled deep within her bowels. She could see the villagers' anger, their distress, their disappointment, the childish innocence that was stolen from them. She bent toward the little girl, afraid that the lass would jump back from her bloodied hands.

**  
**

"Rin-san can speak?" asked a smaller child as both his lips and voice quivered. His fingers grappled tightly onto his mother's yukata before his head dug deeply into her clothing.

**  
**

"I…did not lie," Rin mumbled softly. No matter what, it would be difficult to convince the villagers that she indeed had been speechless at one time.

**  
**

The bloody, prostrate youkai gave a shivering stir, causing Jaken to take slight alarm.

The villagers had been used. "You used us…"

**  
**

"Not at all!" Rin tried to reason.

**  
**

They had been lied to. "We were _all_ lied to!" It was a menacing voice, one that could easily incite incense.

**  
**

"Please…!"

**  
**

They would be killed. "Those youkai will kill us!"

**  
**

"No!"

**  
**

A fist flew upwards. They were tricked. "We have been tricked!"

**  
**

A reaper was jolted into the air.

**  
**

The crowd advanced toward Rin. "Be calm," a separate voice instituted itself into the enraged crowd. Kaede was mercilessly pushed to the side as defensive instincts took over the crowd. No one showed her the reverence they had before.

**  
**

"She herself must not be human!"

**  
**

"Ye of little faith," Kaede mumbled, attempting to bustle her way through the moody people.

**  
**

Things quickly grew violent as Shobi's prone figure was able to be easier seen. Rin could do little more than extract a sound of shock when she was pulled into the crowd. Kaede acted as quickly as possible to push Rin away.

**  
**

Kagura took straight to action. Even over the roars and hollers, an unnatural wail of wind was more than enough to distract the humans and instill short-lived fear in them. Mothers screamed and fled with their children, but those brave enough to stand against a youkai were in for a shock.

**  
**

Rin threw herself desperately in front of Kagura, her cold fingers wrapped around the wind youkai's wrist. "No, Kagura…" Rin mumbled. "I would not want these people to have more of a reason to hate me, or even you.

**  
**

"I'm already hated enough," Kagura spoke heatedly, her fan flipped open. "Humans like these that see us only as murderous youkai _deserve _to die."

**  
**

"Please do not interfere, Kagura-sama…" Rin said, throwing the older female a desperate, pleading glance. Kagura looked at the mumbling crowd, apprehensively closing her fan. "It's your funeral," she mumbled under her breath.

**  
**

Rin heard the words and retorted quickly, her eyebrows twisted in anger. "No! It will be Sesshoumaru-sama's and Shobi-san's if we do not act soon!"

**  
**

"Don't place that youkai near Shobi!" It was from the crowd, and just as quickly as the chaos had stopped, it bit back with vengeance.

**  
**

Rin was pulled back in, manhandled, tugged ferociously at, spat at, hit at, and was quickly loosing about all the blood that was left in her body to sustain her. Kaede still made it her objective to save Rin from the crowd, trying with reasoning words to calm the people. "Have you yet allowed the girl to speak in her defense!" she roared, her screams doing the same as the current snow—falling down to the earth without so much as a spark of thought.

**  
**

Instead, the crowd grew more violent.

**  
**

"Rin!" It was from her mentor, Jaken. He could do nothing but watch. All common sense was gone. "Rin…"

**  
**

Rin was finally at her limit, unable to find it in herself to remain conscious. Copious blood loss and a wilting heart could never sustain a person alive.

**  
**

**΅ **

**  
**

Warmth. Comfort. It was a type of warmth that she had not felt for quite a while. Her fingers were curled tightly into the smooth follicles, and the titillating cluster of fur caused her to heave slightly. Burrowing her face deeper into the source, a soft moan purred in her throat.

**  
**

The next she felt was a warm, damp cloth on her forehead as she was pulled faintly from her source of comfort.

**  
**

All the same, the warmth was threateningly chilly.

**  
**

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she grumbled softly before her head was tipped back, a warm, bitter-sweet substance was forced down her throat. She swallowed. Her eyes slowly opened, and the blurred, almost white figure in front of her cajoled her quietly.

**  
**

Slowly, the figure turned into an old woman, Kaede, and sat back. "Kaede-sama," Rin spoke through a still parched throat.

**  
**

"Shush, little one. Do not force words from your renewed voice," Kaede said simply.

**  
**

Rin turned to her side, where she had before received the loving warmth. Her brown eyes fell upon her lord. Every memory flooded into her mind, forcing her to sit up. Kaede pressed firmly against her chest. "Kaede-sama…" Rin whined.

**  
**

"Do not move, Rin. Your body has not yet healed."

**  
**

Other things other than herself troubled Rin's mind. "The villagers," she started. "Are they well?" she asked, here eyebrows pressing together in worry.

**  
**

'Eternally selfless…' Kaede thought as Rin continued to sit up. "They are well." She could see the relief tear onto Rin's face, but the girl was still upset.

**  
**

"They will all hate me now…" she mumbled. "I never meant to hurt anyone." Rin turned her head as she heard a pattering pair of feet keeping up with a pair of longer strides. "Kagura-sama…, Jaken sama." Her features crunched inward as she bit her lip.

**  
**

"Don't worry, brat," Kagura said quietly as she took a glance at the prone Sesshoumaru, her eyes turning next to the Shobi boy. They both looked as if they were in a peaceful pain. She slowly tore her eyes toward Rin as she said, "We explained everything to that hag already."

**  
**

Kaede grumbled angrily under her breath. 'I can quickly seal up youkai like her,' she thought heatedly.

**  
**

Rin lowered her head, her eyes falling upon a sheathed Tensuseiga on a low counter near the wall. "…So you are aware." She stared at her bandaged fingers.

**  
**

Jaken stared at her, and then at his lord. He wanted to waste no time. He _had_ to explain to Rin what was wrong with the youkai. "Rin," he piped.

**  
**

"Hai, Jaken-sama?" Rin asked distractedly. Her mind was wracking with worry over her lord and the boy.

**  
**

"There is something still that I must tell you about Sesshoumaru-sama and Tensuseiga…" the green ghoul drawled.

**  
**

Rin instantly perked toward the youkai, as did Kagura. "Yes," Rin said, "this secret kept even from Sesshoumaru-sama himself."

**  
**

Jaken nodded. Kagura tapped the tip of her fan against her chin in interest as she sat in front of the redressed Rin, staring at Jaken.

**  
**

"Brace yourself, Rin. You will be in more shock than I was when Bokusenou-sama told me these words." Jaken sat in front of Rin. For now, not worrying about the suffering youkai at his side would have to do.

**  
**

Rin leaned forward in slight anxiety. Her teeth ravaged her bottom lip as she indeed braced herself. Jaken's words were still hanging in her mind: "_Sesshoumaru-sama will die. Curse or no._" Rin instantly wilted, her bandaged hand abusing the side of her face. "Will Sesshoumaru-sama die?" she asked simply.

**  
**

Jaken lowered his head at hearing the question. He did not know how to answer a question like _that_! Still, he _had_ to tell Rin what Bokusenou had told him. "After hearing what I have to say, judge it yourself," Jaken answered.

**  
**

Rin gave a single nod as she turned her head downward.

**  
**

"I will start from the beginning of things, from when you were separated from Sesshoumaru-sama." A deep breath. "Everything turned awry very shortly after you were…left behind. Sesshoumaru-sama started hearing voices, abandoned me, but upon following him, I found that it was the work of Bokusenou. I stayed where he left me for over a week until finally Ah'Un and I decided to find our lord. It was sudden when we found him resting against a tree for support, drenched in blood.

**  
**

"After this incident, Sesshoumaru-sama fell very ill. After finding a remote village, Sesshoumaru healed for a day. But still he was ill." The yellow eyed ghoul stared at Rin. "On occasions, he would murmur your name in bouts of unconsciousness, or when he was near it. At times he would grasp his fingers against his left-most chest, unable to breathe or deathly pale."

**  
**

Rin opened her mouth to speak, her eyes wide with foreboding. These were the same pains she felt at times.

**  
**

"Let me continue." Rin nodded.

**  
**

'I wonder…if we ever felt this pain at the same time on occasions…' Rin thought.

**  
**

"I finally decided to consult Bokusenou-sama, who I am sure already knew of such happenings. I asked him question, and he gave elusive, hard to grasp answers. What Bokusenou-sama told me is the core of this discussion right now.

**  
**

"To tell you truth, Rin, Bokusenou was ill as well." Rin eyes widened at the statement. "But then Bokusenou made mention of Sesshoumaru-sama's chichi-ue. Bokusenou knows a cure for Sesshoumaru, but he can give it neither to him, nor you." He stared pointedly at Rin to see her reaction. The girl was listening with rapt attention, the way she had been in youth when he gave her lessons. "In short, Rin, Tensuseiga's only power is not to bring back lives.

**  
**

"There is a _deeper power_ that lives in Tensuseiga. This deeper power, as Bokusenou explained to me, is powered by intentional actions on the user's part. Though Sesshoumaru-sama has been bestowed with a power that can bring back lives, he has usually used Tensuseiga for selfish purposes. Rin, when Sesshoumaru-sama brought you back to life, this _deeper power_ was used."

**  
**

Everyone began to pay spellbound attention at this point.

**  
**

"Tensuseiga, in a way, is conducted by Sesshoumaru-sama's emotions. Tensuseiga, when it resurrected you, put Sesshoumaru-sama's emotions into its blade. Inutaisho wanted Bokusenou to put this power into the scabbard, so that when an emotion other than selfishness, hate, or any of those sorts was used, the sword would _have_ the resurrected one, and Sesshoumaru-sama."

**  
**

Kagura cut him off, her fan lifting from her chin. "What do you mean, '_have_'?" she asked curiously, her brows furrowed in concentration.

**  
**

"It was an exchange, as Bokusenou mentioned," Jaken answered. "Rin—" he stared at the girl once more, "when you were revived, you gave Sesshoumaru your driving force, and he yours. Blood and heart. It was as if the two of you had become one, because Sesshoumaru-sama revived you with a certain emotion, and you came back to life, returning that same emotion. Of course, there are drawbacks to such a curse, and Inutaishou was fully aware of this.

**  
**

"The reason why I had asked you, Rin, if you had lent your heart to another, was because Bokusenou told me that if you were to do so, with _anyone_, it would be deadly."

**  
**

They froze.

**  
**

"On both of your parts."

**  
**

Rin stiffened. Her lips moved slightly as she spoke inaudible words.

**  
**

"In the end, you both are to blame. The clan that Enraimaru was from made it so that this curse would be channeled only to Sesshoumaru and his revived. Slowly, Sesshoumaru began to die when he left you behind, and you as well have been dying. It was as if clipping off the wings of a bird. Both would eventually fall. This is all."

**  
**

Rin stared downward, the brunt of his words, leaving her breathless. Her eyes fell on her lord, and her chin instantly began to quiver. Her fingers shook as she looked quickly at Tensuseiga. This was not how she wanted things to end. She felt as if this was all her fault. "…And this is…irreversible?" Rin asked.

**  
**

Jaken sighed. "I cannot say. Bokusenou never informed me of that." The yellow ghoul stood up. "I will leave." With that simple murmur, he was gone.

**  
**

Kagura looked over at Rin, knowing that the girl was very distressed. But what could _she_ do to help? Nothing. As the situation looked too grim for both Rin and Sesshoumaru, she stood. "…I really don't know…" she started, "exactly what I can do…"

**  
**

Rin heard the words, and she was moved to say, "Nothing." She sighed. "This is my problem, and I will reverse it."

**  
**

Though things looked down to her at the moment, a certain memory made her jolt. She blinked widely, staring at Kagura, before her eyes fell both on Sesshoumaru and Shobi before she turned to Tensuseiga. As things in her mind began to click together, she stumbled upwards, never minding her pain.

**  
**

"I will reverse it," Rin repeated. Her resolve was found. But there was still that pain behind her eyes that would never leave her.

**  
**

–

**  
**

**A/N: **This chapter just didn't want to write itself. In the end, I think things came out well. I'm glad that those of you have decided to stick with this story. It really does make me glad. I'm very, very sorry for not updating in almost six months. I'll see you all in the next chapter.

**  
**


	14. Chapter 13 : The Means to an End

**A/N**: All I have to say is: Ho. Ly. Crap. I won't even beg for forgiveness. Just enjoy the closing chapter.

΅

**Silent Echoes**

—

**  
**

Is it thy will thy image should keep open  
My heavy eyelids to the weary night?  
Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken,  
While shadows like to thee do mock my sight?  
Is it thy spirit that thou send'st from thee  
So far from home into my deeds to pry,  
To find out shames and idle hours in me,  
The scope and tenor of thy jealousy?  
O, no! thy love, though much, is not so great:  
It is my love that keeps mine eye awake;  
Mine own true love that doth my rest defeat,  
To play the watchman ever for thy sake:  
For thee watch I whilst thou dost wake elsewhere,  
From me far off, with others all too near.

—Shakespeare's Sonnet 61

**  
**

**Chapter 13 : The Means to an End**

**  
**

‡

**  
**

Rin's fingers moved through Sesshoumaru's hair, pulling out the knots; his hair was unkempt, most likely, for the past weeks that she had not been by his side. It was _she _who, a memory's time ago, would sit behind her lord and brushed his hair for over an hour's breadth of time. She remembered the feel of his scalp as she gently scratched her fingers on the surface, and the soft and pleased moan that she would hear after a few passages of time.

**  
**

He would tilt his head to the side a fraction for her to get behind his ear (or both), a spot that she had found made him vulnerable and his body go lax almost instantly. And then his eyes would close.

**  
**

Rin never realized until now that Sesshoumaru-sama faithfully turned his back to her, something that he would do for no one else, and let her go about her business. It was something that he enjoyed, and Rin took more pleasure in it because she knew that only she could do this to Sesshoumaru.

**  
**

She sighed.

**  
**

Now, what would have been volumes of shining, thick hair was dull. She stared at his limp and tired figure with a smile lingering on her lips. She slowly turned toward Shobi, scratched her fingers through his scalp as well, and sat on her haunches with her hands folded in front of her lap.

**  
**

They both looked peaceful, and both gentle. But she had to make her decision. Her resolve had been made a few minutes prior, in which she requested that neither Jaken, Kagura, nor Kaede enter the room for the rest of the night. The older woman had followed her queer wish to leave behind a white kimono and a few bowls of steaming water with a washing rag.

**  
**

She had been sitting in the room for hours now, pleased that Kagura occasionally knocked at the screen door to see if she was alright. The sun was already beginning to set, leaving her with only a day more to make the hardest decision ever faced with. But she had spent most of the time praying fervently, and pondering.

**  
**

Turning towards Shobi as he winced and gave a heart-rending moan, Rin bit her bottom lip and crawled over to him. She leaned over him in such a position that she could rest one arm on his other side and sit down comfortably. His dark hair contrasted far too greatly with his chalky skin. She had spent a while thinking about Shobi before.

**  
**

The only word that could describe Shobi was 'perfect'. With the time she had spent with him, he was gentle, loving, and almost too pure. He played beautiful music, and only sought companionship with her in only the selfish of way an enamoured person would. He was strong—emotionally, mentally, and even physically.

**  
**

Yet, Rin found him too innocent. He was _too_ complete. He was without flaw. Even though it was an aspect she loved about him, Rin needed more from him.

**  
**

'Does that make me selfish?' she thought, biting her lip as she used the back of her fingers to give his temple a gentle stroke. All her life, she was anything _but _selfish Then again, if that were truly so, she would not want _both _of the men that were before her right now.

**  
**

Rin knew that the amount of Shobi's love for her was deep, if not infinite—that had been decided when he proposed to her the day before. Doubtlessly, she loved him as well.

**  
**

If she were to look into the future and imagine herself as his wife, she knew that they would laugh together, cry together, respect each other, love each other, and cherish each other…until the day they died. It was a beautiful prospect, one that any woman would want.

**  
**

But not Rin.

**  
**

It was too simple a future…

**  
**

Too simple a future because there was Sesshoumaru.

**  
**

_No_**_ word_** could describe him perfectly. He had too many flaws. He was angry, quiet, aloof, violent, and rude. Rin did not even know if he loved her when she had thought about it earlier.

**  
**

But he revived her. Why? There had been no reason. She did not bring him a _single_ step closer to Naraku, Tetsusaiga, or to the Shikon no Tama.

**  
**

He had saved her life—not once or twice, but many times. There was no reason to do so. She was expendable.

**  
**

Did he need her?

**  
**

He had the type of perception that she would _kill_ for. Though he was distant and cold at times, he did things for her that were absolutely unnecessary, that were completely unsystematic. _Why?_

**  
**

_**Why**?_

**  
**

Every time she thought about him, she wanted him to answer one question for her:

**  
**

"**_Why?_**"

**  
**

Sesshoumaru was always calm, never overexerted himself, and was always reasonable. But she did not know everything about him. And she wanted to know more.

**  
**

Sesshoumaru had so many layers that would take years to peel, and that was what Rin wanted to spend the rest of her life doing. She wanted to get at his very core—not to _change_ him, but to read him.

**  
**

Was that selfish of her?

**  
**

Rin _wanted_ someone who _had_ blemishes. She wanted someone who _was_ weak and unsteady. She wants someone who _was not_ complete. She wanted to heal his scars, make him sturdy, and complement him—make him whole.

**  
**

She could not find that in Shobi. It was such a misfortune.

**  
**

She _could_ find that in Sesshoumaru. The years that she had spent with him had told her that. The years that she had spent with him had told her that _her_ Sesshoumaru-sama was weak and _needed_ someone else. That was where she came into this painting of a man.

**  
**

It was not her that needed him.

**  
**

Instead, it was _him_ that needed _her._

**  
**

The young woman came to that realization as yesterday replayed in her head with unceasing repetition: Sesshoumaru had come back to her, for her. He was sick, but he risked the rest of his will just to touch her.

**  
**

Sighing, Rin sat back and turned around, staring at the farther wall, where Tensuseiga hung. She knew what had to be done.

**  
**

She stood and walked ever so slowly to the scabbard. Time passed too slowly around her. Reaching for the sword, she touched its dull side. 'Is he really about to die because of _me_?' she thought. It upset her to think of how she had betrayed him. Lifting the blade from its place, she let it drag behind her as she walked back to the spot the two men rested. She bent onto her haunches.

**  
**

She turned first to Shobi and rested her head on his bosom, fingers tracing, learning, and memorizing his face while her other hand lay on his chest.

**  
**

Minutes passed.

**  
**

A loud sob then shattered the quiet, and then a deep inhalation—she felt as if she had been holding her breath for all of those minutes. Rin sat up and wiped her eyes, surprised herself that she was crying. "Ah, how silly of me," she said shakily, still unused to that foreign sound of her renewed voice. She smiled down at the unconscious man before and, as if falling from a cliff, her dark hair cascaded behind her as she fell toward his face, features frozen.

**  
**

Then, _finally_, with her two hands surrounding his cheeks, she gave him a virtuous kiss.

**  
**

And another one.

**  
**

And another.

**  
**

Her tears fell on his face, wet it, and gave it an oily gloss and shine. She cried out again, softly. But she had been very, very careful, for her lips never once met his. She let out a heartfelt, scratchy '_Aah,_' feeling pain within her deepest inward parts as she cradled Shobi's head to her chest and cried.

**  
**

Oh, how deeply she sobbed, and how agonizingly _cold_ her tears were against her cheeks.

**  
**

It was distressing…

**  
**

So truly painful.

**  
**

She felt warm liquid drip onto her chest and suppressed a groan. The noise instead drowned in her throat and resurfaced as a keening whinny. Her eyes rolled upward. She felt his body shudder and convulse against hers while the liquid on her chest became thick and hot and copious.

**  
**

She remained like this for many moments, unable to move and unable to think of anything else.

**  
**

His body finally turned cold against hers, deathly cold, and she dropped Tensuseiga with a gasp, as if the metal had scorched her skin. It was not the metal that burned her skin, but the sign that Shobi was finally resting.

**  
**

It was sorrowful, but hopefully momentary. She placed him down and instantly removed her yukata, soiled with blood. She brought over the bowls and, after cleaning at least her hands, brought the white kimono over and folded it near Sesshoumaru. She made the process of removing her yukata very slow, and even more leisure was the time she spent to clean the blood off her skin.

**  
**

Rin then cleaned the blood from Shobi off Tensuseiga's scabbard. Every moment was spent in redeeming silence. She last cleaned Shobi, turned to Sesshoumaru, and began the process of putting on the kimono.

**  
**

Kimono's were highly complicated, but she would not _dare_ stop to ask Kaede for help. She stared at Sesshoumaru as she put the clothing on. When she was done, a quiet and eerily calm hour later, she retrieved Tensuseiga's sheath and set the sword in it, laying the weapon on top of Sesshoumaru.

**  
**

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Rin began, sitting on her haunches with her hands clasped together, as if praying. "…koi…" she said softly, and smiled. The smile broke and she bowed deeply, her forehead resting against his stomache. "Go—gomen nasai…" she moaned. "Gomen, _gomen_, **_gomen nasai…_**" She bit her bottom lip, refusing to cry.

**  
**

Instead, she lapsed into a habit that was unable to leave her if even for a moment.

**  
**

Rin sang. She sang beautifully. It took all her energy, force, and _drive_ to not break down in tears again. She wanted to be happy for Sesshoumaru. She wanted to be happy for him.

**  
**

So she sang.

**  
**

‡

**  
**

In the midst of his loneliness and this…this _image _of Rin that he had recently conjured, Sesshoumaru realized that something in his life had been missing.

**  
**

Something had been missing from day one.

**  
**

He watched in awe as the womanly, beautiful Rin slowly digressed. She was younger now, plumper than the last time he had truthfully seen her. He could not understand why, but he wanted…

**  
**

He just wanted to reach out to Rin and hold her. He wanted to hold her tightly and never relinquish because he knew that she would disappear if he waited any longer.

**  
**

The thought terrified him.

**  
**

Sesshoumaru came to recognize what that _horrible, cold_ feeling in his chest was that he had been feeling for harsh days and sleepless nights.

**  
**

It was strange because that _feeling_ was _not_ at all cold, but so very hot. It was fire in his chest—a large fire that he had wanted to snuff out before but could not _now_.

**  
**

But why?

**  
**

Just _why?_

**  
**

The taiyoukai stared at Rin, and she herself bent onto her haunches and began to pick at nothing. All too suddenly, the quiet that was far too deafening was broken, and, as if crisp, cool dew compiling on leaves and grass, a fresh, airy, and soothing sound made the darkness quiver.

**  
**

Within the thick silence, an echo could be heard.

**  
**

Softly.

**  
**

Within the thick silence, an echo could be heard.

**  
**

Barely.

**  
**

Within the thick silence, an echo could be heard.

**  
**

Growing.

**  
**

Rin was calling him.

**  
**

Of course, he would answer.

**  
**

Because within that silence, those echoes were like drops of light.

**  
**

‡

**  
**

Rin purposefully ran her fingers along the blade of Tensuseiga and watched the blood from her fingertips drip down to her wrists.

**  
**

The singing had long stopped.

**  
**

Pale, bloodied fingers reached to her equally pale lips.

**  
**

She closed her eyes.

**  
**

Her bloody lips descended to cold lips.

**  
**

Her aim was true. The kiss was made.

**  
**

Could Sesshoumaru taste her blood in his comatose state?

**  
**

Could Sesshoumaru feel the warmth of her breath and lips?

**  
**

Rin braced herself; when she opened her eyes, he would be staring at her with those beautiful yellow eyes.

**  
**

Yellow meant happiness.

**  
**

Her bloody fingers reached behind his head to bring its dead weight up. She wanted to deepen their kiss.

**  
**

Would he respond?

**  
**

Or had Enraimaru merely tricked her?

**  
**

Would the kiss work?

**  
**

So many doubts.

**  
**

‡

**  
**

The image of Rin began to fade before Sesshoumaru. He could hear her, but she was fading.

**  
**

Blind panic began to rush through him.

**  
**

Why was Rin fading?

**  
**

_Why?_

**  
**

His hand reached forward in a strange lack of control. He could neither speak nor breathe. She was leaving. Her figure vanished momentarily, causing his breath to cut short, and the she reappeared directly in front of him.

**  
**

She was singing.

**  
**

Completely ignoring his internal vow to never be like his father, he held Rin's small, singing image close to him.

**  
**

Her form became weightless in his arm.

**  
**

"Rin…"

**  
**

Her smile—gone.

**  
**

"…Rin…"

**  
**

Those eyes—vanished.

**  
**

"_Rin._"

**  
**

Her whole self. Her singing. Her.

**  
**

She was gone.

**  
**

It was more than the emotionless taiyoukai could bear.

**  
**

"_Rin!_"

**  
**

‡

**  
**

"Rin…"

**  
**

An icy touch at the side of her face.

**  
**

Rin's shook like a leaf and her body weakened instantly.

**  
**

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" she whispered. And then she felt it…She felt that hand tighten against the back of her kimono like nothing else mattered. That hand loosened and gripped next her arm. She felt that she would burst as she breathed deeply, kissing Sesshoumaru again.

**  
**

That hand finally grabbed the back of her neck to pull her closer, and those cold lips moved against hers, hot breath coming forth onto her cheeks.

**  
**

"Rin." The word was breathed out, as if air itself.

**  
**

She felt, barely, an invisible hand enclose itself around her heart tightly.

**  
**

Afterwards, she felt nothing. Saw nothing.

**  
**

‡

**  
**

Sesshoumaru sat up instantly, feeling the girl slump her full weight on top of him. His eyes widened, and he couldn't miss the blood seeping past her very, _very_ pale lips.

**  
**

"Rin," he said surely, knowing she would respond. "Get up."

**  
**

She did no such thing.

**  
**

"Rin," Sesshoumaru said once more, looking at her prone form, and noticing that if possible, she was getting ever lighter to match the white of her kimono. His hand returned to his chest once more when pain made itself manifest. He grunted. "Rin."

**  
**

And slowly, unsurely, _agonizingly_, his hand descended toward Rin's shoulder, where he shook her. "Rin." Once again, there was a pain in his chest, but he shook her again. Fervently.

**  
**

"Rin. Wake up." It was an order. Rin never went against him.

**  
**

Yet, denial was a blanket of darkness over his eyes.

**  
**

Because though he saw it clear and well, he refused to believe that Rin had stopped breathing, that her chest was not moving…

**  
**

…that there was a trail of dark blood seeping past the lips that he had just kissed, loved, and wanted to kiss again and again.

**  
**

"Wake up, Rin." It was no longer an order. He bent closer toward her.

**  
**

"Wake up…Rin…" he said, not realizing how loudly he was speaking, how loudly those outside the room could hear him.

**  
**

"Wake up, Rin," Sesshoumaru echoed as he shook her again. His chest hurt more than ever, more than before. He could die from the pain.

**  
**

"Wake up. Rin."

**  
**

If ever there was room for a first, it was when Sesshoumaru next said, "_Please_, Rin."

**  
**

Because now it wasn't an order from the taiyoukai.

**  
**

"Wake up," he keened.

**  
**

He was pleading with the other.

**  
**

"Rin's dead, Sesshoumaru," Kagura stated from the doorway, wiping away at her red eyes. "Rin's dead."

**  
**

The look Sesshoumaru gave her made her tears return anew.

**  
**

He returned his gaze toward the girl, his hair shielding his face momentarily. "No," he said.

**  
**

He shook her again. "No."

**  
**

This was love. _This_ was **_love_** like none other.

**  
**

Never _ever_ did Kagura think that Sesshoumaru could be reduced to this. _**Never**._

**  
**

"Rin," he whispered softly, dropping his forehead on the black mane of hair in front of him.

**  
**

The sound of wood shredding under Sesshoumaru's sharp claws made Kagura shiver.

**  
**

He never wanted to be reduced to this. He never _thought_ that he could need something so much as right now. But never had he come so close to actually getting something so close. Not even Tetsusaiga amounted to this. No, not even that.

**  
**

He sucked in a cavernous breath of air as the room went quiet. His forehead moved against Rin's head.

**  
**

"Chichi-ue, please."

**  
**

And again, he sucked in a deep breath of air.

**  
**

The next sound made Kagura's legs fail to hold her up. She leaned against the pane of the doorway, pressing her face against it as she willed herself not to cry again. Her head was pounding due to the loss of all of these unshed tears.

**  
**

But God, how that sound made her weak.

**  
**

No sound could equate to it. No youkai in all of the lands would ever believe Kagura, either, if she spoke of this moment. No. This was Kagura's, and Kagura's to keep. And by God, no sound other than this would ever haunt her so for the rest of her life.

**  
**

For Sesshoumaru had let out the most agonized of cries as he gripped onto Rin's body.

**  
**

"Chichi-ue…_please!_"

**  
**

Another inhalation of oxygen.

**  
**

"Chichi-ue!"

**  
**

And Kagura gasped at the next sight:

**  
**

Tensuseiga's reaction to his cry.

**  
**

The blade glowed.

**  
**

It quivered, the blade.

**  
**

That tongue of metal felt Sesshoumaru's pain and claimed wordlessly, _No more_. Sesshoumaru and Rin surpassed a love that the blade never expected.

**  
**

The purple light Tensuseiga wielded completely engulfed both Sesshoumaru and his fallen maiden, blinding Kagura.

**  
**

And within that blanket of light, a hand suddenly touched the taiyoukai's hand softly.

**  
**

Sesshoumaru barely lifted his head in utter surprise. His whole body shivered in reply to the warm touch. Yet, as if she had not been dead just moments before, Sesshoumaru spoke. "Forgive me, Rin," he muttered.

**  
**

And Rin responded softly, tenderly, "I forgive you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

**  
**

And like a child who had realized his horrible mistake, he next stated, "Never. Never again."

**  
**

This was what Sesshoumaru was reduced to.

**  
**

"Never leave me."

**  
**

"I'll never leave you."

**  
**

But when the light dissipated, Kagura could only stare in shock, because Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Tensuseiga were not present.

**  
**

"_You fail to preserve me alive, Chichi-ue."_

**  
**

"_On the contrary, Sesshoumaru. On the contrary, my son."_

**  
**

"_You'll never die. Because you have her, you'll **never** die."_

**  
**

**End**

**  
**

-

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who stuck with this to the end. I originally wanted there to be a full explanation in the end with Bokusenou, but I thought to myself, _Why do that?_ Instead, the last few pages hit me like a bat. But no, Sesshoumaru and Rin did not die. Really, I do love you guys. Alas, my friends, this finally cuts my last tie with Inuyasha.


End file.
